Paphiopedilum question

[marcoeverard]

I bought this Paph Maudiae Vinicolor in March and it got a flower that came out with a very short stem and rather deformed looking. So I cut it off and it has now thrown out another flower spike from the same growth which looks to be growing fine. Is it normal to get two flower spikes on Paphs from the same growth? I thought that once I had cut off the old one i would have to wait for a new fan to grow.
It is a bit hard to see on the photo but you can make out where I cut off the old one with the new one growing beside it.

[JamesL]

Hi Marco no it's not normal for that to happen. But Lucky you it is .. Keep doing what your doing it likes it. Look for a new growth at the base of the plant in a few weeks.

[marcoeverard]

Thanks James I thought it was unusual and that makes me more pleased. I have a few Paphs that seem to be loving their conditions and others that are just EXTREMELY slow growing.

[PaphMadMan]

When Paphs show the pattern of growth you have described it is natural to assume they are getting a second spike, but that isn't the case. It would have been a 2 flower spike, but got stages of growth out of order. Instead of the base of the stem below the first flower elongating it stayed very short and the first flower emerged almost among the leaves. They are often deformed when that happens. Then the normally short segment of stem between the 2 flowers started elongating more than usual, appearing like a second spike. It happens sometimes especially when the plant gets a shock of some kind in early stages of spike development. It will probably flower normally when the next growth matures..

[marcoeverard]

Originally Posted by PaphMadMan

When Paphs show the pattern of growth you have described it is natural to assume they are getting a second spike, but that isn't the case. It would have been a 2 flower spike, but got stages of growth out of order. Instead of the base of the stem below the first flower elongating it stayed very short and the first flower emerged almost among the leaves. They are often deformed when that happens. Then the normally short segment of stem between the 2 flowers started elongating more than usual, appearing like a second spike. It happens sometimes especially when the plant gets a shock of some kind in early stages of spike development. It will probably flower normally when the next growth matures..

Hmmm I am not sure that I understand and maybe it is hard to see from the picture but there is definitely a completely new flower spike coming from right next to the old one that i cut off on the same fan. They are not joined in any way.

[NYCorchidman]

That is not normal (but it does happen every once in a blue moon) as once a fan (growth) flowers, it will not flower again from the previsouly flowered fan.

Nothing wrong with it, but I would love to see the flower.
What a name, schwarze madonna.

[Paphluvr]

I had it happen once on one of my delenatii's.

[NYCorchidman]

Your super-performing delenatii??

[Paphluvr]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Your super-performing delenatii??

Yes!

[marcoeverard]

So here it is a couple of months later with a brand new flower on a nice long stem growing from the center of the same fan as the last deformed one. And even if the pouch is a bit dented i still like it and am pleased that it got it right this time.