why are some species slow growers?

[weederwoman]

All my paphs and phrags are putting on new growths and new leaves and being generally very rewarding.....except kolosand. The original leaves have increased in size since I got it (4 years ago?), but no new leaves, no sign of new growth. I know it is a "slow grower", but why would a plant adapt this way in nature? I would think something would eat it, or infect it, or step on it long before it could reproduce. I don't really expect an answer, I just need to vent. I'm 65 and not getting any younger.

[RJSquirrel]

thats why you have to choose plants more carefully since you are sooooo old and dont have time to wait.

just buy them in bloom...who can say why a species grows like it grows but its been growing long enough to be a species that its not extinct yet.

maybe its homeland is in an area where the dry seasons are very long or they is little sun and need more time to grow and bloom. Very little water, Very little soil enrichment. Some paphs grow on rocks others grow in leaf litter. Which ones grow faster? I would assume the ones in the leaf litter. You might have one that grows on the rocks and therefor has little nutrition and grows slower.

[Fairorchids]

BTW, that is a hybrid (between two known slow growing species).

I do not have many multiflorals in my own collection, but remember that they need much higher light levels than other Paphs. They should be as bright as Cattleya, and ideally slightly warmer than strap leaved Paphs.

[tucker85]

Many species come from small areas and are adapted to very specific environmental conditions that might be present in only that limited area. It takes some research to learn exactly what those conditions are and it's often difficult to artificially reproduce those conditions.

[Leafmite]

I bought an Angraecum that was said to be a slow grower. I grow it under high light and...well, it isn't a slow grower for me.

[weederwoman]

RJ Squirrel

My father, who died recently at the age of 99, loved to say "At my age I don't even buy green bananas".

[bellini girl]

Originally Posted by weederwoman

RJ Squirrel

My father, who died recently at the age of 99, loved to say "At my age I don't even buy green bananas".

Good philosophy. made me smile

[NYCorchidman]

That was well too funny!
I almost fell off my chair.

[lotis146]

Originally Posted by weederwoman

RJ Squirrel

My father, who died recently at the age of 99, loved to say "At my age I don't even buy green bananas".

Weederwoman that's pretty funny!

I understand your frustration with a slower grower. My first Paph, first non-Phal, Paph. Hsinying Majakun '#7' x Paph. Hilo Green 'Perfection' I've had for at least a couple of years now; I bought it in bloom with only one fan. After the bloom died a new fan started, but I really didn't know what I was doing with it so i underwatered it and the growth stunted. Got my stuff together and the new growth started growing again. And now...it's doing nothing. I just can't figure it out. It was outside all summer and that didn't help. Meanwhile I now have a number of other Paphs growing new fans, spiking, budding, blooming. It's so frustrating...I feel ya...

FairOrchids thanks for that info about the higher light levels. I have Lebaudyanum in bud now and I did not know that they need that much more light. Good to know.