# Too many Magic Lanterns



## Paphluvr (Jul 8, 2021)

If there's one plant that I've never had a problem with it's these. All are divisions of one plant that I bought ??? The first picture is a group of five pots with the smallest division being four growths. The second photo is of my two largest divisions. Most were repotted this Spring so I'm expecting a better flower counts next year.


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## GuRu (Jul 8, 2021)

Wow, very impressive....but if you have enough growing space you never won't have too many ML.  BTW would be nice to see these groups from the other side, the front side.


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## tomkalina (Jul 8, 2021)

I don't remember seeing MLs as well grown. Well done!


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## Paphluvr (Jul 8, 2021)

GuRu said:


> Wow, very impressive....but if you have enough growing space you never won't have too many ML.  BTW would be nice to see these groups from the other side, the front side.



Windowsill grower, which is why they are all leaning away from the shot. Three racks at the only three windows suitable for growing, so space is at a premium. I'll see if I can set up the front shot.


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## DrLeslieEe (Jul 8, 2021)

Impressive! I can’t bloom mine; two types and one half album.


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## Paphluvr (Jul 8, 2021)

tomkalina said:


> I don't remember seeing MLs as well grown. Well done!



Thanks Tom, I consider that high praise coming from you.


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## Paphluvr (Jul 8, 2021)

For GuRu. One bloom already dropped from plant on left. One still to bloom, right-front.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Jul 8, 2021)

Man, that's some awesome growing there. I would have been tempted to keep it as one massive clump!


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## Daver (Jul 8, 2021)

Good job, they look great! I'm debating whether I should divide my micranthum as it seems to be doing well right now.


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Jul 8, 2021)

Very good growing.


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## Paphluvr (Jul 8, 2021)

KyushuCalanthe said:


> Man, that's some awesome growing there. I would have been tempted to keep it as one massive clump!



Thanks. I like to keep the clumps symmetric. These are just the result of years of repotting and removing any lateral or old growths in order to maintain the overall shape. I intend to keep the two largest together as long as I can. Both were repotted this Spring.


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## DrLeslieEe (Jul 8, 2021)

Paphluvr said:


> For GuRu. One bloom already dropped from plant on left. One still to bloom, right-front.
> 
> View attachment 28783


One happy family!


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## GuRu (Jul 9, 2021)

Paphluvr said:


> For GuRu.............



Thanks a lot for this impressive sight......but from now on you won't have space on your sofa. 
I'm wondering why they all flower at the same time ? Is it, why all pots are filled with parts of the same plant ?


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## Ozpaph (Jul 9, 2021)

lovely and they have there own couch!


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## Paphman910 (Jul 9, 2021)

Such an incredible sight to see so many MK specimens!


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## Justin (Jul 9, 2021)

Very nice, Don. I am.still growing a concolor of yours. It grows like a champ with lovely flowers. I have clumps in two pots now.


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## Ray (Jul 9, 2021)

Kudos to you on the culture!

Too many, huh? I’d be happy to help you out recovering space.


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## Paphluvr (Jul 9, 2021)

GuRu said:


> Thanks a lot for this impressive sight......but from now on you won't have space on your sofa.
> I'm wondering why they all flower at the same time ? Is it, why all pots are filled with parts of the same plant ?



I think you are correct. Since they are all divisions of the same plant, even though they are in their own pots they act as one plant with their bloom times in sync.


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## Tara (Jul 9, 2021)

Love the sofa shot, this one is on my 'must buy again list'


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## Cordulus (Jul 10, 2021)

What do you call a group of Magic Lanterns? An Illumination!

Jokes aside, I love the display you have going on. Every single division looks very well-grown.


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## Ozpaph (Jul 12, 2021)

thats clever!


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## NYEric (Jul 12, 2021)

Nice. Thanks for sharing.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jul 13, 2021)

Awesome!! 
How old are these??
I bought my very first Magic Lantern in January 2015. It bloomed that summer and been blooming every year since.
It is now growing in four directions with over 13 growths! Time to divide as I also am an indoor grower and big clump, as nice as they are, is nearly impossible to maintain in good shape.


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## Paphluvr (Jul 13, 2021)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Awesome!!
> How old are these??
> I bought my very first Magic Lantern in January 2015. It bloomed that summer and been blooming every year since.
> It is now growing in four directions with over 13 growths! Time to divide as I also am an indoor grower and big clump, as nice as they are, is nearly impossible to maintain in good shape.n



I my original post I wrote "purchased ???" My current notebook only goes back to 2015 and they were listed in there. Haven't been able to locate my previous notebook since moving into our condo. I agree with you about repotting and maintaining large clumps of Paphs, maybe because of being an indoor grower. It's difficult to count the growths on the largest two of these. They were repotted this Spring, so next year will tell a story.


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## tenman (Jul 13, 2021)

Wonderfful display! You got an easy to grow one. Rare, I think. My third plant of this grex is the size of a 6-month old seedling at four years now. The previous two did the same thing: never grew and eventually expired, though one did get close to NBS or so before giving up the ghost. I grow and flower both parents, so just assume some of these are just weak growers


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## Paphluvr (Jul 13, 2021)

tenman said:


> Wonderfful display! You got an easy to grow one. Rare, I think. My third plant of this grex is the size of a 6-month old seedling at four years now. The previous two did the same thing: never grew and eventually expired, though one did get close to NBS or so before giving up the ghost. I grow and flower both parents, so just assume some of these are just weak growers



I agree. I've seen plenty of posts were people have said they've grown Magic Lantern but had no success blooming it. Unlike you, however, I never had a lick of luck blooming Paph. micranthum. Grew it just fine, maybe had a blasted bud or two, but never bloomed it. Finally gave it the heave-ho. Paph. delenatii, on the other hand, I consider very easy to grow and bloom. I might add that I do grow these Magic Lanterns at the front off the rack, closest to the window, about 1' away from the glass. My exposure is South-West so I have to drop a light filtering screen when I start to get direct sun in mid to late afternoon.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jul 14, 2021)

tenman said:


> Wonderfful display! You got an easy to grow one. Rare, I think. My third plant of this grex is the size of a 6-month old seedling at four years now. The previous two did the same thing: never grew and eventually expired, though one did get close to NBS or so before giving up the ghost. I grow and flower both parents, so just assume some of these are just weak growers


It's possible that your first three might have been "problematic" plants. Any given crosses will present vigorous plants and those not so strong, but Magic Lantern in my opinion is generally easy to grow and bloom. You see pictures of them rather often unlike certain things like say Gloria Naugle or Jade Dragon. 
I have grown a flask of Magic Lantern and every single seedling turned out strong. Then, what few mid to large sized seedlings I bought on separate occasions over the years have also been fuss free. So, this has been my experience.

By the way, how do you care for you micranthum? I'm interested in winter conditions which is what I suspect that many people are having hard time with.
I have bloomed a small number of micranthum but they were all rather ugly and I got rid of them. lol
I still have two that are showing a tip of a spike at the moment.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jul 14, 2021)

Paphluvr said:


> I agree. I've seen plenty of posts were people have said they've grown Magic Lantern but had no success blooming it. Unlike you, however, I never had a lick of luck blooming Paph. micranthum. Grew it just fine, maybe had a blasted bud or two, but never bloomed it. Finally gave it the heave-ho. Paph. delenatii, on the other hand, I consider very easy to grow and bloom. I might add that I do grow these Magic Lanterns at the front off the rack, closest to the window, about 1' away from the glass. My exposure is South-West so I have to drop a light filtering screen when I start to get direct sun in mid to late afternoon.



I'm an indoor windowsill grower and I have bloomed a few micranthum. Are you drying them out too much? Too often, I see people talk about "dry rest" and coupled with too warm of a condition, I suspect if folks keep them too dry and kill the emerging bud or kill the sheath that is still deep down the center of the plant. I say this because in the last few years, I had bloomed and blasted a bunch of micranthum, armeniacum and Fumi's Delight. 
I noticed that when I was not water them enough and the pots went long without being watered, well, those were the only ones that ever blasted its sheath or buds. I was looking at the annual precipitation data of their habitat, it is wet wet wet. When visitors to Northern Vietnam and Southwestern China talk about how foggy and cold it is during the winter. Not freezing although it can feel that way on certain extra cold days. And this is on low elevation. Imagine up in the mountain and forests. 
So not drying out the plants too during the budding season (the entire duration from the first sign of spiking to open bloom) may be a good start. If cold enough temperature can be provided, even better.


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## Paphluvr (Jul 14, 2021)

HP7, I don't think drying out too much in the Winter was the problem, I pretty much treat all my Paphs the same. I should have been able to get them cold enough in the Winter in my old house which was a drafty, poorly insulated old three story brick farmhouse. But the move to a newer construction condo didn't suit them. Had them long enough with no success that it just wasn't worth the effort.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jul 14, 2021)

Paphluvr said:


> HP7, I don't think drying out too much in the Winter was the problem, I pretty much treat all my Paphs the same. I should have been able to get them cold enough in the Winter in my old house which was a drafty, poorly insulated old three story brick farmhouse. But the move to a newer construction condo didn't suit them. Had them long enough with no success that it just wasn't worth the effort.


Yeah, it might just be the temperature being higher than they like. Did you have ML and your other super delenatii in the older house? If so, any difference in plant vigor?


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## Paphluvr (Jul 14, 2021)

HP7, I can't remember where or when I acquired the ML but the delenatii that you're referring to was purchased in the late '70s from J&L Orchids when it was owned by Janet & Lee. Yes, had both of them in the old house and don't recall ever having a problem with them. However, the big clump of delenatii is no more, finally had to break it up. It wasn't doing too well as a large clump after I had the 7 spike bloom. But hey, at that point the plant was about 42yrs old (in my care).


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## Happypaphy7 (Jul 15, 2021)

Paphluvr said:


> HP7, I can't remember where or when I acquired the ML but the delenatii that you're referring to was purchased in the late '70s from J&L Orchids when it was owned by Janet & Lee. Yes, had both of them in the old house and don't recall ever having a problem with them. However, the big clump of delenatii is no more, finally had to break it up. It wasn't doing too well as a large clump after I had the 7 spike bloom. But hey, at that point the plant was about 42yrs old (in my care).


Wow!! 
That delenatii must be a seedling from the selfing of the lone survivor from 1920s wild collected specimen!
I remember you splitty the plant up and giving away not too long ago.


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## My Green Pets (Jul 15, 2021)

I think you have earned the title of Magic Lantern grow coach! So impressive! I got a seedling from Windy Hill in 2015 and it died in 2018 without ever reaching bloom size.


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