# Philippinensis won't bloom



## daniella3d (Aug 17, 2015)

HI,

I have 2 philippinensis that should be blooming size. At least one should be, and I have them for a year and half now and they never bloomed. What can I try to make this happen? 

They receive full sun from a south-west window, so lots of direct sunlight. I fertilize weekly weakly with MSU fertiliser. It's growing many new shoots but no flowers.

I can get a caudatum to bloom but no can do for these philippinensis.

Should I change the fertilizer for a bloom boost? They are very healthy plants, just not blooming.


----------



## SlipperFan (Aug 17, 2015)

I don't think this is their season yet.


----------



## daniella3d (Aug 17, 2015)

so what's their season and how can I help them get into blooming condition?


----------



## SlipperFan (Aug 17, 2015)

Looks like you just missed it:
http://slipperorchids.info/paphdatasheets/index.html

My own experience with Paph. philippinensis is that it needs several growths before it blooms.


----------



## daniella3d (Aug 17, 2015)

It has 5 fans and growing 2 more now, so they are going to be 7.

It's growing like weeds for now.


----------



## ehanes7612 (Aug 18, 2015)

if it hasnt bloomed by now then it may not be ready..some phils need a few fans to be BS before they deliver..same with phil hybrids


----------



## Clark (Aug 18, 2015)

Put them up for sale and get something that will make you happy.


----------



## Secundino (Aug 18, 2015)

Mine does not bloom as well, but is growing fine. I'll give it a new pot around November and hope for a spike or more in spring...
Since it gets strong dappled sun, it is growing even better. That should help.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Aug 18, 2015)

Give it another year. 
It sounds like it is doing very well. 

Each plant has a character sometimes.
I've seen this species in bloom on a single growth or two. 
Then I've seen it flower on a massive specimen (first bloom with many spikes).
It might give you a couple of spikes next summer. 
Still no flowers by then, I would still keep it as long as it grows well as it does now. It should flower very soon given the size of yours.

Fingers crossed.


----------



## polyantha (Aug 18, 2015)

If you can upload a pic of the plant and where you grow it we can give you much more precise answers for your problem. Without that it is more of a guessing game...


----------



## SlipperFan (Aug 18, 2015)

I remember Paul Phillips telling me that he had a phil that wouldn't bloom, so he threw it under a bench and forgot about it. Then one day he noticed it was blooming. At the time I heard that, I was putting my orchids outside for the summer. I decided to put my phil behind other plants so that it was completely shaded. It bloomed the best it ever has. I think I'll try that again, as it hasn't been blooming well lately.


----------



## daniella3d (Aug 18, 2015)

I think I will try that next spring too.

Maybe I should try a bloom booster in spring?


----------



## daniella3d (Aug 18, 2015)

wow, what type of advise is that? part of the fun and challenge is to get an orchid to bloom, not to sell it and buy something in bloom.

I like challenges I guess, that is why I bought a small sanderianum...and probably have to wait 10 years before I see it bloom.

Also it is very hard to find this type of orchids here and if I would manage to find one, it would be out of my budget. In the USA, you would probably find one for 15$ at the Home Depot but not here.




Clark said:


> Put them up for sale and get something that will make you happy.


----------



## SFLguy (Aug 19, 2015)

I've been told by a few growers that paph phil will flower often if grown in warm conditions, I've also seen a plant with only one small fan flowering (from the guy that told me they liked warmth)


----------



## troy (Aug 19, 2015)

Interesting... it makes sense, in the tropics it rains when it's warm


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Aug 19, 2015)

daniella3d said:


> wow, what type of advise is that? part of the fun and challenge is to get an orchid to bloom, not to sell it and buy something in bloom.
> 
> I like challenges I guess, that is why I bought a small sanderianum...and probably have to wait 10 years before I see it bloom.
> 
> Also it is very hard to find this type of orchids here and if I would manage to find one, it would be out of my budget. In the USA, you would probably find one for 15$ at the Home Depot but not here.



I think he meant well, and it is actually very important and practical one for many of us. 
With so many different plants to try and such limited space available (no matter what the space you have, it is never enough, depending on your appetite and passion 

Then, different people have different goals, challenges and preference.

I think your phily should bloom next summer.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Aug 19, 2015)

SFLguy said:


> I've been told by a few growers that paph phil will flower often if grown in warm conditions, I've also seen a plant with only one small fan flowering (from the guy that told me they liked warmth)



This species is a warm grower, but "flower often" is rather misleading in my opinion as they do have distinct flowering season.


----------



## Clark (Aug 19, 2015)

daniella3d said:


> wow, what type of advise is that? .



The best you have ever gotten.


----------



## Wendy (Aug 19, 2015)

Just wait on it. Sometimes these big Paphs don't bloom until they are multi growth. I did nothing special with mine and it bloomed regularly. Special fertilizer isn't necessary. I'm sure you'll be posting photos of it within the next year....just have patience.


----------



## Clark (Aug 19, 2015)

I'll bet any one person, they don't bloom within a year.
$50.00 says both plants are duds. 


I'm good for it, and everybody knows it.


----------



## Linus_Cello (Aug 19, 2015)

when was this plant last repotted?


----------



## daniella3d (Aug 21, 2015)

I do keep them quite warm, around 28C, so it's over 80F. It it not so humid though.

Also they don't have a huge difference between the temperature at day and at night, so not sure if this could be another factor.



SFLguy said:


> I've been told by a few growers that paph phil will flower often if grown in warm conditions, I've also seen a plant with only one small fan flowering (from the guy that told me they liked warmth)


----------



## daniella3d (Aug 21, 2015)

They were repoted last year and they are in 4'' pot now.



Linus_Cello said:


> when was this plant last repotted?


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Aug 22, 2015)

daniella3d said:


> I do keep them quite warm, around 28C, so it's over 80F. It it not so humid though.
> 
> Also they don't have a huge difference between the temperature at day and at night, so not sure if this could be another factor.



What other plants do you grow and how are they doing?
I'm wondering because without enough diurnal temperature difference, plants can suffer in the long run. 
Lower night temperature is needed for proper transition of sugar into complex carb that plants store and use for other purposes.

If your other plants are doing well, then maybe it is not so much of a concern. Then, again, you might have enough day/night temp difference because apparently it has been growing so well.


----------



## troy (Aug 22, 2015)

Good point happypaphy I've been told that by alot of other growers, 10 - 15 day and night temp. Change


----------



## daniella3d (Aug 22, 2015)

I just had a caudatum blooming and it's located at the same place. I have a vanda and oncidium blooming right now and they are located in my living room with AC so they are at constant 22C day and night for weeks.

All my phalenopsis are blooming or just finish now and I have 2 paph Hsinying x Paph. Hsinying Majakun that are blooming also.

All these plants are located in front of a south-west window.

The place where I keep my philippinensis is warmer during the day because there is no AC in that room so that I can keep it warmer. I will try dropping the temperature by letting the AC in a bit more at night to see if it help.

thanks!




Happypaphy7 said:


> What other plants do you grow and how are they doing?
> I'm wondering because without enough diurnal temperature difference, plants can suffer in the long run.
> Lower night temperature is needed for proper transition of sugar into complex carb that plants store and use for other purposes.
> 
> If your other plants are doing well, then maybe it is not so much of a concern. Then, again, you might have enough day/night temp difference because apparently it has been growing so well.


----------



## Erythrone (Aug 23, 2015)

daniella3d said:


> Also it is very hard to find this type of orchids here and if I would manage to find one, it would be out of my budget. In the USA, you would probably find one for 15$ at the Home Depot but not here.




Daniella, my two cents...I understand you want to keep your plant because you love challenge. I love challenges too, so many of my Paphs take more than a few years to bloom. Some seem to bloom only once every 10 years (one of my 2 Delrosi). In fact, most of my babies are so "young" they didn't bloom yet... Many mature plants bloom every year, some only do it every 2 years... Waiting a few years often can result in a very nice first blooming plants, with several flowering stalks. 

But if you want to get another plant, they are not that difficult to find in Canada.You can get it from Forestview http://www.fvgardens.com/#!paphiopedilum-species/catr

(27 $. Often come at the Orchifete). And I bought one from Paramount many years ago (and it died.... I was not a very good Paph growers 10 years ago) I think Glen Decker has some album for sale too and he come to Mtl at least twice a year. And maybe Raymond Lussier has some in its greenhouse. Just ask.oke:


----------



## Erythrone (Aug 23, 2015)

daniella3d said:


> The place where I keep my philippinensis is warmer during the day because there is no AC in that room so that I can keep it warmer. I will try dropping the temperature by letting the AC in a bit more at night to see if it help.
> 
> thanks!



Good idea!


----------



## jtrmd (Aug 24, 2015)

Clark said:


> I'll bet any one person, they don't bloom within a year.
> $50.00 says both plants are duds.
> 
> 
> I'm good for it, and everybody knows it.



I have had a good share of phil. duds over the years. My last one I owned bloomed around early spring. It was a division of an awarded plant, and bloom on every new mature growth. Grown warm,moist,and bright. Its gone to a new owner now.


----------



## Leo Schordje (Aug 25, 2015)

P. philippinense can be slow to get started on blooming. You have 5 growths & 2 new, so you are getting close, but don't give up even if it takes another 2 or 3 years. All of a sudden, it will "decide" its time. Once a plant is mature enough to start blooming, it should be fairly regular in its habit. Note how many growths and their size when it starts blooming. After than, when you repot, never divide the plant to a number of growths smaller than the number you had when it first bloomed. Some paphs like to be big clumps before they bloom.


----------



## daniella3d (Aug 25, 2015)

I am not sure I would devide it, at least not until it would be a monster. I have dreamed of a huge philippinenses with many buds. I have seen a few like that and I plan on letting it grow as large as it wants to grow.




Leo Schordje said:


> P. philippinense can be slow to get started on blooming. You have 5 growths & 2 new, so you are getting close, but don't give up even if it takes another 2 or 3 years. All of a sudden, it will "decide" its time. Once a plant is mature enough to start blooming, it should be fairly regular in its habit. Note how many growths and their size when it starts blooming. After than, when you repot, never divide the plant to a number of growths smaller than the number you had when it first bloomed. Some paphs like to be big clumps before they bloom.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Aug 28, 2015)

Why not?! As long as you have space and can manage a big pot full of them. 

It may one day shoot up a bunch of spikes.
I can't wait to see that sight!!!

Fingers crossed.


----------

