Growth rates and multiflorals?

[esungirl]

I recently purchased to Phaps, delenatii and primulinum. They both had a new leaf emerging when I got them. Delenatii's leaf is almost full grown and a new leaf is emerging. Primulinum's leaf has may be at best, doubled in size to say the least the growth rate is pathetic compared to delenatii. I did have delenatii under a west facing window that got direct light filtered with a sheer curtian for 40min-1hr a day. I had primulinum under lights, the T type for under cabinets, they put out heat so I though it would help, until I read they like shade. Now I moved both of them to the coffee table that gets 40min-1hr fileterd light with sahde the rest of the time. Is the growth rate my fault or is it a cultural issue where one is a slow grower and one is not. And what is a multi-floral vs a non-multifloral. I know what sequential blooming is, but it seems to me that the mutli part plays a difference in the growth rate. Can you please help me, or at least send me to a site that explains all of this. It's my first group of slippers and I courious. Thanks

[littlefrog]

Not sure about the primulinum. They seem to grow about the same speed as everything else for me, but I have a lot of plants so I don't notice differences unless they are huge...

Mulitfloral vs non-multifloral - an artificial distinction. But I usually use the term multifloral to refer to plants that should have several flowers open on a single spike simultaneously. Three is a good starting point. These are your plants like rothschildianum, philippinense, kolopakingii, etc. They tend to be very large plants with solid green, 'strap-like' leaves, and as a rule want more light and more heat than your typical mottled leaf 'maudiae type'.

Sequential flowering are pretty easy, and come out of one group that is rather difficult to tell the species apart. They've been split into too many species in my opinion, but they are plants that bloom sequentially on a single inflorescence. Sometimes you have two flowers open simultaneously, but usually one at a time.

Single flowering species are everything else. Even though some 'single-flowering' species can have two per spike. Urbanianum routinely throws two for some clones, delenatii can have 3 or four per spike but still isn't considered a multifloral.

[smartie2000]

I have a paph pinochio and its is not a slow grower. I don't know what is wrong then. Could it be humidity?

[esungirl]

Interesting Rob, thanks for the info. As far as humidity goes, it's in a moss/soil media. I don't know what it is but is holds alot of moisture and is easy to tell when then media gets dry. Do the primulinums like to be real wet?

[littlefrog]

No more than other paphs, which is to say, no, not really wet. If you keep them soggy they will rot. And in most paphs, you can lose almost all the roots before you see any signs in the top growth. You need to aim for almost but not quite dry in between waterings, regardless of the medium.

I'd repot it if you haven't in the last 6 months or so. You can use whatever medium you like if you water it right. Paphs love being repotted and it will give you a chance to check the root system.