Phalaenopsis bellina - too many inflorescences?

[notasaddove]

I am not sure if this is any "real problem," but this Phal. bellina from Hausermann's refuses to mature buds/actually flower and instead keeps producing inflorescences.

In the picture you can see the three newest ones put out this year (2016). It has two other inflorescences (that I did not produce - it came with the plant and both are on the other side). This means that at the moment it has 5 inflorescences.

It grows in a well-ventilated, plastic deli container under a T5 light on a seedling heating mat (this keeps my temperature range between 70-80 degrees). I have a tiny, desk fan that circulates the air around it and my humidity is usually between 50%-70%.

I think it will be lovely if/when it does decide to flower!

[AnonYMouse]

How long have you had it? Sometimes, it takes a year or more for a plant to acclimate to new (your) conditions. The inflorescences starts way before you see anything (kind of like the "twinkle in your grandpappy's eyes"). Depending on the genetics, the spikes may resume growing or abort and start new ones.

Practice Patience!

[notasaddove]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

How long have you had it? Sometimes, it takes a year or more for a plant to acclimate to new (your) conditions. The inflorescences starts way before you see anything (kind of like the "twinkle in your grandpappy's eyes"). Depending on the genetics, the spikes may resume growing or abort and start new ones.

Practice Patience!

I have had this phal for at least 15 months (bought sometime in the spring of 2015). It put out a lot of vegetative growth last year with no changes in its "original" two spikes.

I am more curious than anything else. I have another one of their bellinas which I got at the same time. I just thought this particular one was weird or teasing me with its potential :P

[No-Pro-mwa]

Maybe it's just a mean little plant and yes teasing you. I hope not however because it would be quiet a show if they all bloom.

[Blndbunny]

I've heard that their spikes can take forever to mature, and are notoriously slow growers. I've noticed with my violacea and bellinas that their spikes grow much slower then my other species, which all grow considerably slower then my hybrids. I haven't successfully gotten any of my bellinas or violaceas spikes to bloom yet, I've only had them 4 months but they are showing slow growth and change

[Whimgrinder]

Why are you maintaining such a narrow temperature differential?? You saying that it is always 70-80F, day and night? With no day-to-night temperature differential, I can well imagine why its not proceeding with flower production.
I bought one of these from Hausermann's 10 weeks ago and all it had was two nubby spikes at the base, and now I have flowers forming. In my greenhouse the day-to-night differential is 62F at night and up to 88F in the day. I believe a wider swing between night and day is healthy and perhaps required for bloom production, even for bellina/violacea.

[Ray]

Phal bellina is really a HOT grower, so I think you'd find it growing better with a higher daytime temp.

[notasaddove]

Originally Posted by Whimgrinder

Why are you maintaining such a narrow temperature differential?? You saying that it is always 70-80F, day and night? With no day-to-night temperature differential, I can well imagine why its not proceeding with flower production.
I bought one of these from Hausermann's 10 weeks ago and all it had was two nubby spikes at the base, and now I have flowers forming. In my greenhouse the day-to-night differential is 62F at night and up to 88F in the day. I believe a wider swing between night and day is healthy and perhaps required for bloom production, even for bellina/violacea.

Originally Posted by Ray

Phal bellina is really a HOT grower, so I think you'd find it growing better with a higher daytime temp.

Thanks for your replies - they made me buy a new thermometer that tracks daily highs and lows for temperature since I wanted to really see the conditions for the plants since I am not there watching 24/7.

The highest daily recording on average for temperature for the last week is 83. The plants sit on a seedling heat mat and are also heated by the T5 light they sit under. The lowest daily recording is 64 (both the lights and the heating mat are switched off during the nighttime in the summer).

It seems that is is hotter than I realized and colder than I realized, but I think the temperature differential should be enough. All of the three newest spikes are developing (and no new spikes). So hopefully it should bloom soon. Like I previously posted, I have a bellina that is a lot larger (6 inch pot) and is blooming under the same conditions.