New Orchidphile with a maxillaria tenuifolia questions

[kbishkin]

Hello, I just joined the orchid board and I thought I'd introduce myself with some questions about my maxillaria tenuifolia.

I don't have pictures right now (will post later) but I have noticed some new growths that don't look like the others. I thought you experts may be able to help me identify them. The new growths are spiral shaped rather than conical. I can't figure out if these are developing buds or just deformed new p-bulb growths.

They are growing from the second layer of the sheath (as buds should) but my plant has p-bulbs growing from the second layer too. Some even have 3 p-bulbs, one on top of another.

Any ideas what these growths could be?

I should probably add a little history about the plant too. I got it about 3 years ago. It grew so much that I divided it into 5 different plants with 10-15 p-bulbs each. They are all outside and get as much light as they can take without burning. But the plant has never flowered for me. So I'm not sure what it looks like in bud. I'm sure I set it back by dividing it but is there anything else I can do to encourage it to bud?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Call_Me_Bob]

spiral shaped? i have no idea! lets see some pics

mine hasnt bloomed either, but from what i understand, they can take alot of light.

[kbishkin]

I'll be sure to take some pictures soon. Do you know what the buds look like when they first come out? I couldn't find any pictures of a new flowering growths. Maybe I'm not using the right terminology.

[Call_Me_Bob]

i have no idea what the buds look like. sorry

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

I've not got mine to flower either, but spiral sounds odd. Take a look at this thread which is one of our project threads. An Orchid Board Project is when several people all buy the same orchid at the same time then discuss growing of it. Last year we had a project based on Max tenuifolia and I'm sure some people on there showed some flower spikes appearing, so hopefully you can find those in the thread and get some idea.

Maxillaria tenuifolia (Project 11 - Summer 2010)

[Merlyn]

The buds come out near the base of the pbulb and stay close with a very short inflorescence.

[Connie Star]

Welcome to OB!
I have a similar Max. ten and it has been growing like crazy and I keep thinking it is making buds but it's always been more pbs.

[kbishkin]

Here are the pictures of the mysterious spiral growth. Any ideas?

[Call_Me_Bob]

thats a pleated leaf. that happends when it doesnt get enough water. happens to lots of oncidium types

[kbishkin]

Thanks so much Bob! Never would have figured that out on my own. Will the leaves unpleat or will they always be deformed?

Here are pictures of another plant with a pleated leaf. The p-bulbs look pretty plump. I wonder why that little guy didn't get enough water?