Paph Bel Royal 'Memoria Terry Turner' AM/AOS

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The beast is in flower again. I really need to buy a bigger backdrop. This is the best it has flowered. Two spikes of six flowers. I really thought I was going to get 7 flowers in that taller spike as the bract in the final flower was huge. But I just got a taller spike with bigger flowers.

Our Spring show is in 4 weeks, so I am hoping it can last until then. Might be touch and go. The logistics of getting it there will be another thing.


Bel-Royal-2023.jpg



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Wow! Just.. WOW!! 😍
 
This is an interesting thread - and I would agree with what has been said above.
I grow all my multiflorals in the brightest part of the north facing shade-house (Southern hemisphere) and they are bathed in full sun all day. Even through the shade cloth is at 70%, in summer you still bake when standing on this side of the shade-house. If I hold my hand about 1m above the plants, the shadow that my fingers cast is still distinct. In addition, I also feed weekly-weakly all year round and they have nearly all rewarded me with mulitiple growths.

What I do find with high light intensity is the dramatic effect on the leaves. Certain species (gigantifolium, stonei and sanderianum, in particular) and their hybrids grow new leaves that are generally about a 1/3 shorter than the older leaves when I received my plant. My Paph. Mem. Joan Levy arrived with 4 leaves well over 60cm long. All new leaves on the original growth and the multiple new side growths are at a maximum of 30cm long - but they are much broader than the original leaves. It does give the plant an odd grafted-cactus look. On the plus side, they're much easier to handle and don't take up so much space on the bench. Has anybody else noticed such a dramatic effects on the leaf length?
Kind regards

JL

I can't say for absolute certainty, but I think it's true. One good example where you notice it is that if and when you grow Amaryllis bulbs. They have become popular Christmas flowers lately, and I keep getting them almost every year. Worst Christmas I got six Amaryllis. They are beautiful, but don't last so long, flowers I mean. They take space in winter etc. In winter even if you water sparingly at first, the flower spikes and later the leaves grow high and spread out. But in summer time when I have them outside, both the flower spikes and leaves stay much, much shorter and compact.
I have noticed also with some orchids, than when they get high strong light, the leaf/leaves grow shorter, but the bulb still grows big and fat.

Regards
Annica
 
if memory serves me correctly, I have it under close to 200ųmols PPFD for 12 hrs
I am so grateful for people sharing PPFD values and/or DLI ! This allows much better comparing than " x cm away from my LED lights" or " x % shade cloth", which are in reality very relative measures when in different countries or when using different LED's. I wished more people would do the same. Thanks spujr !

The beast is in flower again.
...and what a wonderful beast it is !! Great culture and nice flowers emydura !
 
I am so grateful for people sharing PPFD values and/or DLI ! This allows much better comparing than " x cm away from my LED lights" or " x % shade cloth", which are in reality very relative measures when in different countries or when using different LED's. I wished more people would do the same. Thanks spujr !


...and what a wonderful beast it is !! Great culture and nice flowers emydura !
Thanks! I agree on both points, having PPFD values eliminates the subjectivity and emyduras plant is an amazing specimen.

I'll get out my par light meter next few days to verify the values. I got the apogee which is one of the better readers available.
 
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My apologizes emydura, I forgot to say that your plant is humoungus! Really beautiful and healthy looking plant and impressive flower spikes and great looking flowers.
I wish mine would finally start making new shoot(s). Good luck now and to the show and to following years! Long live Bell Royal! 😁
 
I must say David I take a little pride as if I were a distant uncle watching you post this plant over the years from a small fry to this beautiful monster that it is today. Congrats on your culture!
 
I finally got around to using the apogee light reader and measured ~120ųmols on my bel Royal. During the winter I bump up the light because I don't have to worry about the heat, so I estimate it is about 150ųmol. So both numbers are lower than what I said from memory earlier.
 
I was able to get it to the show in one piece in my Forester. I had to push the passenger seat right forward and put it on the floor in the back seat and then squeeze all the leaves in. A bit of damage to one leaf but the flowers were all intact. And it was certainly worth the effort. It won Grand Champion of the show. But even better, the award was upgraded to an FCC and it was also awarded an ACE cultural award. So a very successful show.
 
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