DESPERATE for Bellina help!
 

Hi Everybody...

MY BELLINA WON'T BLOOM!!!!!!! I have had the plant for 3 years, I give it perfect light, water/fertilize regularly... it just won't do anything but grow new leaves! It is certainly of a size where it should be producing flowers. I have tried everything, but at this point it has just become extremely frustrating. All of my other Phals are doing very well and flower once or twice a year. The plant appears extremely healthy, but could it require something different than the rest???? My only other suspicion is that perhaps it resents yearly re-potting. What should I do?!?!?!?!?!

Lots of Nitrogen can inhibit blooming. Try to neglect it more. :)

Sorry to hear that. How about the temperature? Bellina original habitat is humid and hot rain forest of Borneo. Try to replicate its original habitat as close as you can. Sometimes to induce blooming, hot growing species need to be water stress: no watering for a period of time then gradually increase watering.

You might just have to find it's "happy place"

It's not always all about the "correct" numbers in lighting and temps...sometimes a chid wants to be in a place that makes no sense (according to the books) but it's the place they like :)

try moving it a bit out of the range it's in now. It won't hurt the chid and may give it the boost it needs :Tup:

:goodluck:

:coverlaugh:

Hello there, it seems my bellina is related to yours. I've had it for a little over a year and it sprouts new leaves and roots AND DOES NOTHING ELSE, ITS SLOW. Its known that they are slow in their growing process when they are mature they speed up quite nicely, I would think light might be the determining factor. Are you having temperature differentials during the day/night?

You've probably tried these things, but I'll post just to double check. I've found that bellina (and violacea) like a little more light than most Phals. Also, a period in the fall where the temps drop 15-20 degrees at night is important to induce spikes. I don't think repotting every year is a problem as I know someone who grows great bellinas that does just that. Also, I wouldn't withhold moisture.

Just some ideas. It could be something completely unrelated.

Good luck. Bellinas are wonderful plants!

Here's an example of the brightest light my Phal species get for a few hours each day. When I first started growing them, I would have been scared to give them such bright light but they seem happy...who am I to argue? ;)

The slightly more shaded area where the second chid is shows the light they get most of the time.

Thank you everybody! And, THANK YOU SUZANNE!!!! That is EXACTLY the type of photo example I have been searching for! I think a bit more light may be the answer, though I thought I was giving the correct light already (which is still a bit more than I give my other Phals). I can't wait to go to my parents house this evening to see how all of my plants are doing, and who knows, maybe my bellina will reveal a spike???

Elliot;

I'd say give it more light too.

I'm near Philly so light quality should be the same as yours out in the 'Burg. I have a violacea in an east window, I'd say about 4-5 inches from the glass. It gets full sun for about 4 hours in the morning.

Way to go Pens! :biggrin:

Cheers.
Jim

I recently moved mine to a brighter location (about 6 weeks ago) and it has perked up a lot. I also think it is warmer in its new location. Peyond that, it seems to me that some plants just tend to be more challenging than others. The Zen of Phals! Best wishes to you - if you find something helps, please post!!!

This is extremely good advice for just about any shy bloomer. It's a permutation of "do what works for you" and that is also one of my favorite pieces of advice.

A few years ago, moving things around or slightly out of their current spot actually made my Paphs bloom for me. I had almost given up on them. I still don't grow them very well, but they sure are happier.

The first thing I try with any of my reluctant bloomers is to bump up the light. I'm growing all of my species Phals in Catt light, and they're all doing great, and most have bloomed. I also agree with the cooler temps in fall. That seems to work for all my Phals, species and hybrid alike.

I realize that bumping up the light for reluctant bloomers is the thing to do, and has worked for me many times. BUT...

Just wanted to double check with Ben Bolton and cb977, who recommended that bellinas need more light than other phals --

1. Is the more-light than others true of violacea as well as bellina?

2. The temperature drop in fall-- how does this reconcile with the recommended low temp for bellina being 65F?

Not trying to argue with anyone, just wanted people to expand their comments a bit for my enlightenment.

The picture I posted shows a Phal violacea in the brightest light along with a Phal bellina cross to the right of it. :)

All or most of my Phal species are in this same area

:hello
On this usefull website Phalaenopsis bellina anglais you can find average pluviometry, humidity, max and min temps month by month. Look like she may need a water stress, otherwise it may be a temp problem, such high min temp or other:twocents:
:waving

I find that to be true, yes. I grow under lights and I try to put the violaceas and bellinas right under them.


I find that it is not so much the absolute temperature you get them to, but the change in temperature. So if is was 85 during the day, a few nights at 65-70 are great. I usually put my plants (Phals) outside in the summer and bring them in when the lows are in the upper 50's. Some plants will spike without the change.

Ben Bolton and CB977: thanks for the clarifications :)

well , I guess that not living in the same part of the world give me other conditions than yours. Anyway, i grow bellinas and violaceas and they bloom regulary each sping for a few months.
I grow them only under artificial lights inside an indoors small greenhouse. they are on the top shelf just under the light along with somme catts and even a vanda coerulescens (that blooms too)
the temperature is around 25C (22/27Cdepending on the external temperature of the room) humidity around 60/70. so yes for me too bellinas needs more light and heat than hybrids ;-)

My temperature here is between 25-32degree Celsius on average, with 60-100% humidity, bright shade and at times 30% filtered sunlight.

They all start blooming when their leaf span reaches 4inches.

Using Gaviota 67 fertilizer helps induce spiking.

Good Luck!