DESPERATE for Bellina help! - Orchid Board

InspirChid1712 · #1 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 09:56 AM

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?!?!?!?!?!

RoyalOrchids · #2 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 10:23 AM

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

Psyched · #3 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 11:08 AM

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.

cb977 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 11:29 AM

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

Tindomul · #5 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cb977

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

I guess these plants don't read the books as they should. "How to be a Phal. bellina"

cb977 · #6 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 11:59 AM

Cookiemonster · #7 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 12:15 PM

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?

Ben Belton · #8 (**permalink**) 06-24-2009, 10:58 PM

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!

cb977 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-25-2009, 11:05 AM

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.

InspirChid1712 · #10 (**permalink**) 06-25-2009, 11:26 AM

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???