Basic Paphiopedilum question
 

I recently picked up a Paph. NOID from a local store that was in bloom. Now that bloom is dying, but it's putting up two new flower spikes and seems quite happy. My question is about the original bloom spike.

Once the flower is gone, will the spike die or will that spike flower again, similar to a Psychopsis? If it doesn't flower again, should I wait until the inflorescence turns brown to cut it off.

Also, any help on an ID would be appreciated.

George,

I am new to paphs myself but I do know that paph spikes do not rebloom. Although multifloral paphs exist, they bloom at nearly the same time and the whole thing withers about the same time.

From what I've heard, you are supposed to cut the spike as close to the fan of leaves as you can and then dust the cut with cinnamon. it should dry up and wither away.

Hope that helps, I just got a paph that won't bloom for awhile so I don't think I'll have to worry about that for a long time!!! :D

David

Some paphs are sequential bloomers and will keep blooming from the same spike for an extended period of time, but yours is not one of them. You have a vinicolor Maudiae-type hybrid. There are far too many crosses of similar appearance to ever identify it more specifically than that. Sometimes this type will have a second flower on the same spike but that bud would be large or already open if the first flower is fading. If you see no bud this spike is done and can be cut back anytime just above where it emerges from the foliage.

I agree with the others and will add that you should clip the old flower stalk down near center of fan. When the plant is ready it will normally send up one to two new fans at base of the old fans. Then the leaves on the old fans will start turning brown from the outside in to the center. Just keep clipping these off once they are totally brown (let the plant absorb what nutrients it will from the old leaves.)

Thanks for the quick response guys. The ID helps and I think I'll go ahead and cut off the finished spike. I can't wait until the next ones bloom!

You can pretty much do with it what you choose. The flower stem will not rebloom. Most people cut theirs off at the base of the stem after the bloom has faded. Personally, I just leave mine attached. It withers after a couple weeks and, eventually, falls off naturally.

As all others above. As Ross said the plant will need to put out new fans of leaves for it to flower again. A fan of leaves only creates one spike and then it uses its energy to put out new fans of leaves and support the plant with energy. For this reason you should watch out when you purchase paphs in the store to make sure that the fans of leaves that are not currenlty in spike do not have stumps of old spikes in the centre of the fan as they will never give you any flowers in the future.

Beauatiful! I love the leafs. I have one mottled leaf NOID and it's even beautiful when not in bloom! The color of your flower is just gorgeous!

Nicole

Very healthy looking paph George, keep up the good work!

Thanks Brenda. I moved it from it's store medium to SH as soon as I got it home. It seems to like it and is growing like a weed. In fact it seems like all my plants have taken to SH pretty easily. The toughest part is figuring out how wet to keep the leca. Truly trial and error(plus some reference reading!)