# Paphiopedilum rothschildianum 'Sam's Best' FCC/AOS x 'Rex' FCC/AOS



## emydura (Sep 18, 2015)

This is the second flowering for this plant. Probably not as good as the first flowering. The flowers are 25 cm across.

I'm a little disappointed that the plant hasn't progressed in size. If anything it is a little smaller. I'm contemplating not allowing my multi-florals to flower until the plant has achieved a good size (at least 2 large growths). At the moment I'm finding too many of them struggle to kick on after flowering for the first time.


Paphiopedilum rothschildianum 'Sam's Best' FCC/AOS x 'Rex' FCC/AOS


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## Markhamite (Sep 18, 2015)

Nice looking flowers.


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## Justin (Sep 18, 2015)

i have had the same problem. My SB x Rex also have had this same behavior of getting smaller and smaller for years after they first bloom. I had one that flowered a couple times (The one in my avatar actually) but it is still a small plant after all that.

too bad b/c it's a nice cross...nice flower on this one... would be awesome on a bigger plant.


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## SlipperFan (Sep 18, 2015)

Good luck with this plant -- the flower is gorgeous.


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## Paphman910 (Sep 19, 2015)

Do you think it is a cultural issue?

I had a mm x rex and it grew like a weed. I grew it under warm conditions and bright light. Grew many new growths each year.


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## emydura (Sep 19, 2015)

Paphman910 said:


> Do you think it is a cultural issue?
> 
> I had a mm x rex and it grew like a weed. I grew it under warm conditions and bright light. Grew many new growths each year.



It could be. I am growing them in a glasshouse in a temperate zone so the conditions will never be as good as someone growing them in a more tropical region like Florida. Still I have another roth that has 6 growths and it has put out multiple growths. I'm not sure I would classify it as a weed though. 

This particular plant grew really nicely until the first flowering. That first growth was pretty big too. This subsequent growth is much smaller.

Things might hopefully improve with my new glasshouse as the day time winter temperatures get much warmer (around 28-29oC) and for much longer. I might increase the watering over summer too. 

If I could get the plant to produce more new growths I would be really happy. Anyone have any tricks to do this?


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## cattmad (Sep 19, 2015)

Nice colour, with Rex as a parent this should be a fairly big plant.

What fertiliser regime are you using?


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## emydura (Sep 19, 2015)

cattmad said:


> Nice colour, with Rex as a parent this should be a fairly big plant.
> 
> What fertiliser regime are you using?



Currently I use Peters Excel CalMag Grower (teaspoon in a 9 litre container) every 2nd watering and CMB Foliar as a foliar fertiliser one in four waterings. I haven't been using Peters cal mag that long so I will see if that improves things.


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## Justin (Sep 19, 2015)

i have to add when i flowered mine it was several years ago in a period where i wasn't taking good care of the plants--they dried out too many times and got set back. they seem to be making a slow comeback but it has taken forever. 

some seem to get set back, some i have flowered don't skip a beat...


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## 17andgrowing (Sep 19, 2015)

Awesome none the less.


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## Paphman910 (Sep 19, 2015)

emydura said:


> It could be. I am growing them in a glasshouse in a temperate zone so the conditions will never be as good as someone growing them in a more tropical region like Florida. Still I have another roth that has 6 growths and it has put out multiple growths. I'm not sure I would classify it as a weed though.
> 
> This particular plant grew really nicely until the first flowering. That first growth was pretty big too. This subsequent growth is much smaller.
> 
> ...



What about warmer night temperatures? My minimum is 20C year round at night.


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## phraggy (Sep 19, 2015)

Like your Roth. Wish my multis would show signs of flowering. They send out multiple growths so next spring I am keeping my fingers crossed I had what I thought was a spike growing on a German Roth but the striped sheath has turned out to be empty--- looks like a sheath but growing like a leaf????

Ed


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## Paphman910 (Sep 19, 2015)

phraggy said:


> Like your Roth. Wish my multis would show signs of flowering. They send out multiple growths so next spring I am keeping my fingers crossed I had what I thought was a spike growing on a German Roth but the striped sheath has turned out to be empty--- looks like a sheath but growing like a leaf????
> 
> Ed



I had a roth with an empty shealth and looked like a leaf. Thought it would not flower so I sold the roth to someone else and she flowered it the spring.

Sometimes the shealth takes 6-9 months before they finally develop a flower spike.


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## Happypaphy7 (Sep 19, 2015)

When some plants don't do well and there has not been a significant change in culture, no suffering from diseases or bugs, I believe it's just the plants.


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## Wendy (Sep 19, 2015)

Looks good. Hopefully you can figure out why it got smaller.

Ed....sometimes the sheath can sit empty for months. Not unusual for multis.


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## emydura (Sep 19, 2015)

Paphman910 said:


> What about warmer night temperatures? My minimum is 20C year round at night.



My minimum temperature would be around 16oC. Given I grow outside in a glasshouse, a minimum temperature of 20oC is not really practical. I believe in its natural habitat, a minimum temperature of 16oC would be normal. I think being able to get the maximum temperatures at least 10oC warmer than the minimum is important. I am now doing that in winter whereas previously I found that difficult.


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## theorchidzone (Sep 19, 2015)

On our roths, we let daytime temps get high when possible, e.g. 37C or even more. With high humidity. That would be during growing season.
We also have had good luck supplementing our fertilizing regime with a handful of balanced Nutricote. I view roths as a rather heavy feeder for a Paph. Here in California, we added it in April and it lasts 6 Mos.

Our flowering season was about Jan-July. I would worry about giving extra fertilizer prior to the flowering season as it might inhibit spiking.

In terms of breaking multiple growths, I don't know how to do that.

JC




emydura said:


> My minimum temperature would be around 16oC. Given I grow outside in a glasshouse, a minimum temperature of 20oC is not really practical. I believe in its natural habitat, a minimum temperature of 16oC would be normal. I think being able to get the maximum temperatures at least 10oC warmer than the minimum is important. I am now doing that in winter whereas previously I found that difficult.


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## paworsport (Sep 19, 2015)

Min temp at 18 and max 37 with 70 to 90 % hygro and I never let dry my roth, compost is damp
I have changed my culture for roth 18 months ago with theses conditions and never see my roth growing like that!


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## Trithor (Sep 19, 2015)

A great looking clone. I hope you crack the cultural issues. I wish I could offer some intelligent advice.


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## cattmad (Sep 19, 2015)

emydura said:


> Currently I use Peters Excel CalMag Grower (teaspoon in a 9 litre container) every 2nd watering and CMB Foliar as a foliar fertiliser one in four waterings. I haven't been using Peters cal mag that long so I will see if that improves things.



I use the same, but at the start of the growing season like now I will use a lot of aquasol. I also water them very heavily, every second day when in gowth


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## Migrant13 (Sep 19, 2015)

Sure has excellent color and size. I would be very happy with it. Hope it picks up steam in the years ahead.


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## emydura (Sep 20, 2015)

Thanks everyone for the tips. I have got some useful advice. I definitely need to increase my watering. I think that will help a lot. I find it interesting that people are growing them well at 37oC and above. My glasshouse can regularly get to 35oC and above during summer. I was concerned that was too hot, but obviously I shouldn't be.

I like the idea of the Nutricote and thought I would experiment with it, but it doesn't appear to be for sale here in Australia (other than in 25 kg bags for $180). It did use to come in 500g containers but apparently no more. There are other slow release fertilisers such as osmocote but I have read unlike Nutricote, at really warm temperatures osmocote will release all of its fertiliser at once and hence burn the roots. In a warm glasshouse during summer, this would happen often.


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## Justin (Sep 20, 2015)

they definitely need a lot of water. i am finding that 30-10-10 at 1/16 tsp/gal every watering does well for them.


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