Paph Question -- What's that growing? - Orchid Board

Dooyen san · #1 (**permalink**) 11-12-2009, 01:05 AM

Hello! When I was watering my Paph, I noticed this little white-ish green sprout (?) growing beneath the barks. What is that? I'm new to growing orchids so I'm so clueless. Anyone know what that is? Thanks!

slipperfreak · #2 (**permalink**) 11-12-2009, 02:21 AM

Looks like a new growth. Over the next 10-12 months or so, that little nub will grow into a full fan of leaves like the one next to it, and produce a flower spike. If the current growth has not yet flowered, you can expect it to soon!

RosieC · #3 (**permalink**) 11-12-2009, 05:54 AM

My guess, like Joe's, is a new growth that will develop in to a new fan. My Paphs have only put them out from between folds in the leaves of the existing fans, but I still think that's what it is.

BikerDoc5968 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-12-2009, 09:52 AM

That is, indeed, new growth. The flower spike will emerge from the center of the mature fan. Be especially careful NOT to get it wet because it will rot and you will never see another flower from that fan! With time, and it may be a very long time, the old flowered fan will begin to die back. This is normal for paphs and phrags so don't go crazy when it happens. In the 1st two pictures, I've circled to old growth on a phrag of mine. The 3rd picture shows several new growths on the same plant. It has been about a year since this plant flowered. The last pictures show one of my paphs. The yellowing leaves are old growth and you can see the old cut flower spike. The last picture is the same plant with all the new growth.

Dooyen san · #5 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 02:36 AM

Wow how exciting! The old growth has already flowered twice so I'm guessing I won't see any blooms for quite a while right? I'll be care not to get the new growth wet. Thanks for answering!

slipperfreak · #6 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dooyen san

Wow how exciting! The old growth has already flowered twice so I'm guessing I won't see any blooms for quite a while right? I'll be care not to get the new growth wet. Thanks for answering!

The old growth flowered twice?! Do you mean it had two flowers from the same spike? A Paph growth will only produce one flower spike in its lifetime. After that, the plant must mature a new growth to flower again.

musicloveranthony · #7 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 04:07 PM

Slipperfreak,

I, also, have had a paph send up flower spikes twice from the same growth. I can post a picture for proof that i'm not (fully) insane =)~

slipperfreak · #8 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicloveranthony

Slipperfreak,

I, also, have had a paph send up flower spikes twice from the same growth. I can post a picture for proof that i'm not (fully) insane =)~

I actually should've have said that normally a Paph only flowers once from a growth. I've heard that it happens very, very rarely, and when it does the flowers are usually deformed or of lesser quality.

Dooyen san · #9 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 10:47 PM

Maybe I should have clarified. The pot has 2 old growth and each of them shot out 1 spike (that's why I said bloomed twice). However, one of the spike did produced two bubs at once. Sadly though, since I'm so new to maintaining orchids, the second bub became weak and it "blast". Hopefully, the new growth will produce something...

musicloveranthony · #10 (**permalink**) 11-16-2009, 01:44 AM

which paph is this?