Paphiopedilum lowii - first bloom (after 14 years)

[katzenhai2]

Received as a very small young plant in 5.5cm pot. Then let it suffer on the windowsill for a few years until I realized that something had to be changed. Created a
Orchid Terrarium and again let it suffer. Did wrong back then everything that can be done wrong.

Then a few years of care by someone else and it's a miracle it survived at all. Seems to forgives almost everything. The other 15 Paphs I had did not survive the external care at that time.

Now, its first flowering - after 14 years being a young plant.
I'm so excited.
















I find it interesting that the pouch has a strong pink/purple color when viewed against the light.

 

[mrhappyrotter]

Congrats. 14 years is a LOT of patience. Can't say I'd have given a plant that much time to "perform". Looking good though.

 

[Ozpaph]

good perseverance

 

[katzenhai2]

Yesterday at 2:00 pm



Yesterday at 10:00 pm


Next day.
Reminds me of my neighbor's dog.


But shouldn't it look like that?


It is transparent from the back.


...and pink...


Anyway, it looks like I've created a monster after 14 years.

 

[Tom499]

Love this post! Have a P. supardii for 10 years thats never flowered! (just 4 years more to wait... )

 

[katzenhai2]

I suspect that the extremely "hanging" petals are due to the lighting conditions - the lamp for the orchids is now under the flower. I'll try placing a lamp in front of the newly opening bud and see if that changes the look.

 

[My Green Pets]

love your photos and hour-by-hour narration!
congrats! and thanks for inspiring a moment for me to remember where I was and what I was doing 14 years ago...

 

[katzenhai2]

Last four days in time lapse.
Every new day it opens more and more, in tiny little steps.



I installed an extra light for the next bud. Let's see if that does anything to the look.
The stem has already responded and is growing towards it (as can be seen in the last pic).

 

[lapis_exilis]

it's beautiful!!! perseverance paid off!!!

 

[BrucherT]

Received as a very small young plant in 5.5cm pot. Then let it suffer on the windowsill for a few years until I realized that something had to be changed. Created a
Orchid Terrarium and again let it suffer. Did wrong back then everything that can be done wrong.

Then a few years of care by someone else and it's a miracle it survived at all. Seems to forgives almost everything. The other 15 Paphs I had did not survive the external care at that time.

Now, its first flowering - after 14 years being a young plant.
I'm so excited.

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I find it interesting that the pouch has a strong pink/purple color when viewed against the light.
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What an incredible story of perseverance, on your part and hers.

 

[southernbelle]

That’s what I call patience. Good for you!

 

[katzenhai2]

Now it should be fully developed. It took quite a long time. The “ears” have lifted a little. I guess I didn't have enough patience - what does that say about me after waiting 14 years for blooming?

The left petale has turned a little bit towards the new lamp to the right of the flower. Is he giving me his paw?



New lamp installed to have more 'control' about the new buds.


Here is the second flower about to rise.


In total there will probably be three in the end.

 

[awesomei]

Courageous!

 

[katzenhai2]

Interesting how different the colours are from the first to the third bud on the same stem, same light conditions.


pink-brown pouch (first bud), more pale-yellowish colours



dark brown pouch (third bud, not full opened yet - the second bud looks same), more greenish colours

 

[GuRu]

Gorgeous flowers .... but tehe same light condition mean just daylight, right ... but daylight can be different and furthermore the white balance of the camera can vary .........

 

[katzenhai2]

Gorgeous flowers .... but tehe same light condition mean just daylight, right ... but daylight can be different and furthermore the white balance of the camera can vary .........

The pictures were taken only a few seconds apart. You are right about the white balance - but the color difference is also clearly visible to the naked eye. From a purely subjective point of view the photos show the difference well. On the last pic you can see the first bud on the left (blurred).

I'm just surprised that there can be such a difference between the flowers/buds at all. I will try to take photos again at the next opportunity with manual white balance.

 

[katzenhai2]

Next try. Same plant, same stem.
All camera settings manual: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Also the white balance.
The flowers for each photo are aligned at the same distance in the same direction towards the window. Max 30. seconds between each photo. No scientific claim but couldn't be more accurate.

Of course watered between the opening of each flower, same Fertilizer. Plant is permanently wet in the terrarium. Only the leaves protrude through the top of the lid (the terrarium is slowly becoming too small) and the flowers are outside (23°C/73°F, 40% rH).

First bud/flower


Second bud/flower


Third bud/flower


Of course the pouch isn't sharp, used a larger aperature. Something is always wrong.
Now I'm not sure if the sun wasn't shining a little stronger in the last photo... maybe next try with artifical light...

 

[GuRu]

Thanks for the photos in comparison, Karsten ... but to be honest ... I can't see much difference in colouration of them. Only the colouration in the third photo is slightly more intense.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

As the flowers open and mature, they will change color saturation to darker (usually).

If the first flower to open starts to get grayish tint, it usually means it’s senescencing (aka dying) due to age, chemicals, bugs, humidity or cold.

 

[katzenhai2]

As the flowers open and mature, they will change color saturation to darker (usually).

Thanks. In this case, the color of the first flowers pouch remains pink-brown and no longer changes. The second and third are as brown as I know from typical lowii pictures on the internet. At first I thought this was an atypical clone and was a bit sad that I had caught such a monster. I thought the flowers would all look similar on multiflorals (my first one that I own and see blooming).

BTW, I got the plant from @Hilmar (Asendorfer Orchideenzucht) 14 years ago as a seedling. He seems also registered here.