Does the age of an orchid matter?
 

Hello everyone. I have a bit of a theoretical question. Does the age of an orchid matter or only its size? For example, my lemon tree is much bigger than my mother’s but it will not bear any fruit any time soon because despite its size it is still a young plant and being grown from seed it needs a few more years to mature. Is something similar true for orchids though? For example if I have a backbulb division and a seedling of the same size, would their different age mean they will grow at different rates (all else being equal) or that they will bloom after different periods of time? Thank you!

From what I've seen ----- back-bulbs generally develop more big bulbs sooner than seedlings. It could be tied to energy/water reserves that the orchid has.

Also - if we're looking for a particular cultivar orchid having the same DNA has the 'original' plant, then either a back bulb/back cut or a division will give us a copy. Otherwise, if we're considering mericlone seedlings ----- it could take a while to get to maturity.

Impossible to generalize. Some orchids bloom very young - especially the little twig epiphytes, which also tend to be fairly short-lived. (They grow on twigs of trees that are easily knocked off... they have to get their living and reproducing done quickly) Some, like Dendrobium speciosum, may take 10 or 15 years or more to get to blooming size. There, a division of a mature plant is likely to bloom as soon as it gets established with new roots. A back bulb division of a Cattleya for instance, which needs to grow some new roots from a dormant growth point (eye) may take several years to get to where it will bloom even though it is big, where a smaller front division that is already in active growth may bloom the next season. And a seedling of the same cross can bloom on a small plant, or not... So the short answer is, "It depends". and also, "Circumstances alter cases" even if you try to generalize in a specific area.

In general orchids need a certain amount of mass before producing flowers. This will vary with the type of plant; obviously a tiny Pleurothallid will flower with much less total plant mass than will a Cymbidium.

Cattleyas typically need 2-3 nearly to fully mature growths before producing flowers. Whether starting from seed or divisions, the time to reach this will vary with the growing conditions, watering and fertilizing. A single Cattleya back bulb may take longer to flower than a seedling in a 3" / 7.5cm pot.

Monopodial orchids follow this rule, too. Young growths of most slipper orchids will never flower. There has to be a certain amount of leaf surface to support flowering, and it may not happen until the 3rd or even 5th fan.

I would say that Phals may be an exception to this, in my experience Phal keikis flower much earlier than they would from a normal young plant. I assume this is because they get much of their energy from the mother plant, so even once they are detached they have the energy stores necessary for spiking.

Age is irrelevant, it is plant mass that is the primary factor, and then size (individual growth height or width) the secondary.

Then, there is also the 'X' factor, which is individual plant variation. In growing up multiple plants of the same species/grex, I have noticed that there are often individual plants that bloom a year earlier than the majority of it's siblings. Likewise, there can be 1 or 2 stragglers, which take a year longer.

Lastly, for optimum blooming, you definitely need plant mass. A mature, but single lead, Cattleya will bloom, but probably only with 1 or 2 flowers on the inflorescence. Only when you get to 3 or more leads in the pot, will the plant start to bloom to it's potential (3-4 flowers on the inflorescence, and larger flowers).

As an example of this, I once kept track of an Ascocentrum (now Vanda) Mona Church seedling, which 1st bloomed as a NBS seedling, then as a BS plant, and finally as a mature plant (3 times in one year).

Kim and I are on the same page, here - it’s mass and stored resources - but I’ll add that’s in conjunction with the degree of “perfection” of the growing conditions. Even the most massive plant will not perform well if the growing conditions are marginal, and a smaller plant will do better and bloom younger if grown in its “perfect” set of conditions.

HERE is a bit more detail.

First time on the site. So enjoyed your many stunning photos - thanks. Where does one find phals like your eustress? Thanks, R