Paph. rothschildianum flowers. Do they change much?

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kiwi

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To the roth experts out there, do the flowers change much as the plants get bigger. I understand that size of blooms can get bigger but what about flower stance. Will a down swept Petal always be down swept? Will a cupped dorsal/synsepal always be cupped?
I ask this question as I have a few hundred of these and many are blooming for the first time and as space is a premium I am trying to figure out which ones could be sold on. I suppose the main question I am asking is do you know from the first flowering which ones are the keepers? Obviously some do stand out immediately.
 
They can improve a lot on the second blooming. I have seen a lot of variability on petal stance as well (of course some will keep the downswept petals).

I can't wait to see more of your blooms in the near future!
 
The flowers will improve on bigger plants but I think your better clones now will still be the better clones in the future. Especially as your plants look to be really well grown. I haven't reflowered a lot of roths, but I expect your petal stance won't change much. Having said that, I flowered a roths 'Sam's Best' x 'Rex' that had quite a nice petal stance when it first flowered with small flowers. I have flowered it a few times now. As the flowers have got bigger the petals have become droopier. The petals have become to long to hold upright. Not a particularly nice clone.
 
In my experience, you can expect flower size to increase by about 15% from the first bloom to the third. So, based on the dimensions you posted in the other thread, expect the best to throw 31-32 cm flowers with 6.5cm dorsals when fully mature.
 
I have had roths with perfectly horizontal petals later bloom with downswept petals, so I think the reverse can happen too. I agree with David, the best clones now will also be the best ones later.
 
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The flowers will improve on bigger plants but I think your better clones now will still be the better clones in the future.
David's dictum seems in the general to be a wise one.
Albeit, it might in some cases take more than a couple of flowerings to decide, whether some mishaps or deviations in a flower is due to genetical deficiency (trait) or based on cultural issues during bud development or at other times (state).
Of course one will only have the patience to test this more than twice, if the flowers of such a plant have otherwise very, very desireable features!
 
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