Paph armeniacums in bud

[cnycharles]

I know I know, no good if no flowers but since a paph has a short life span often with me, the fact that I have two armeniacums that have lived to put up flowers is pretty amazing. Another thing that amazes me is that the plant on the left was grown under bright lights on a timer. The one on the right was grown on my kitchen window shelf with no extra lighting and at times in fall/winter in upstate ny the sun is pretty nonexistent. Both are budding up but have very different growing areas. Both are originally from different vendors as well.

left plant from Rices Orchids, right plant from Main Street Orchids

I will definitely post pictures when these flower!
I also have to change the potting and watering regime because whenever new growths start out they look good when in the media but when surface they turn brown and die back. I think I've probably had too intermittent watering before and definitely was fertilizing too little

 

[JeanLux]

I can only dream of getting my armeniacums to that size of plant! Very interested to see the flowers open. Jean

 

[goldenrose]

It's their time to bloom & nothing is stopping them! Fascinating!

 

[Doug]

What night temps were you experiencing to induce their spiking?

 

[NYEric]

Well done, keep us posted. :clap:

 

[orcoholic]

I think the one on the right is from my nursery. Is it from Main Street Orchids? If so, could you please send me your windowsill? Mine didn't bloom this year.

 

[cnycharles]

I can only dream of getting my armeniacums to that size of plant! Very interested to see the flowers open. Jean

Unfortunately the one on the right was larger when I first got it (smile) and a few new leads and one old one turned brown. Sometimes I go long stretches where I am keeping good track of my plants, and then a stretch comes along when I get off doing other things, and that is when the air gets dry, the mealybugs pop back up, and things like that.

Yours will get bigger!

 

[cnycharles]

What night temps were you experiencing to induce their spiking?

Hmm, in my living room the temp really doesn't get below 65f, maybe this fall the heat underneath was off and a chill may have snuck in from the window nearby, but not really much of a change. The other one in my kitchen window definitely had some chills as when Fall came around (and winter) there were a few times I had left the window open a crack and wind would get in. I would think that it had to approach mid-50's if not lower. The only thing I can think of is that it is warmer in general in my apartment in the summer/early fall, and as winter comes along it never gets into the higher temps, so the overall temperature is much lower (considering that it can get into the 80's when we have a few warm days and the lights are still on) which might be a broad trigger. The same effect would happen on my kitchen windowsill, though the cool end would be cooler.

 

[cnycharles]

I think the one on the right is from my nursery. Is it from Main Street Orchids? If so, could you please send me your windowsill? Mine didn't bloom this year.

My landlord might have a problem with my disconnecting my windowsill, but hey if you'd like to send up a bunch of armeniacums, I'll be happy to babysit them for a while!
Well, I didn't repot the plant after I bought it at the Rochester show, and it didn't flower the next year. I then repotted it last Fall and maybe it is saying 'thank you' ? Sorry yours didn't flower, the bloom on the plant you had at the show that year was amazing, I'm glad I kept it alive to flower again. I'm really excited that the one from Rice's is alive and flowering (and hoping it doesn't die afterwards) as I had gotten about 5 small seedlings after he passed away and I tried many things to get them to grow/stay alive. This is the only one left. The one I think really liked being right by the middle of the fluorescent lights, as it seemed to plump up and got lots of leaves. I think I remember your telling me that you exposed yours to high light and it did very well; I probably would have kept them in a dark spot and never had a flower.
More posts soon!

 

[rdlsreno]

Good show!! Nice growing!!

Ramon