Surprise Paph rothschildianum x sib (Knight Sunshine SM/JOGA x Taratula GM/JGP in Bud

[Nelson Wong]

I have had quite a bit of success this year blooming lots of hybrids and crosses, but always struggled with blooming species.

I got 2 of this roth cross from Tony Casler last year who bought it from Sam Tsui when he retired. Both were in bad shape when Tony bought it from Sam and sent it to me.... and well... still recovering but in better shape. Both plants have definitely stabilized and no longer wobbly, which I can only assume the roots have been growing. This one has 3 new growths, small, but slowly maturing and the other is still growing out leaves. Because of how small the leaves are (around 9 to 10 inches) I was not expecting this plant to bloom at all for another 2 to 3 years.

Well.... Guys... This is the most unexpected thing to happen. out of no where, this roth decided to spike. The only difference I have made in the past 2months with this plant was switching its location to get around 400PPFD of light and I started adding 30% k-lite to my weekly watering.

I am going to guess this guy will get 2 flowers, 3 if it is lucky, but most likely I will snip the flower after a month and let it continue to focus on recovering and putting nutrients into its new growths.

 

[Tom-DE]

Good job, young man!

 

[Nelson Wong]

you have no idea. I have around 10 roths for the past 3 years, this is the first to bloom.... so I am very excited!!!!!!!

I will update in 2 to 3 months when the spike is more developed

 

[Tom-DE]

Do you still have 10 of them? I barely have room to keep just one...and it is the compact one.
They all will mature and bloom...not that hard but just be patient.

 

[orchidlife]

Very nice! The plant looks so small for roth so congratulations! I have a couple of monsters that I hope will spike in the near (?) future. Patience is hard...lol 35" leafspan and still growing and a 2nd fan is growing so maybe soon.

 

[Nelson Wong]

Do you still have 10 of them? I barely have room to keep just one...and it is the compact one.
They all will mature and bloom...not that hard but just be patient.

Yea. I still have all 10 of my roths. Granted, they are all in my living room under lights. They are big and bushy, but so are most multi-florals. I think one signature of a good orchid grower is that you have more and more plants each years because they are alive.

Very nice! The plant looks so small for roth so congratulations! I have a couple of monsters that I hope will spike in the near (?) future. Patience is hard...lol 35" leafspan and still growing and a 2nd fan is growing so maybe soon.

Yea, most of my other roths are Humongous, this one is the smallest one to bloom so far. I am hoping it stays small and have 4 to 5 flowers in the future! and if it does, I will likely make crosses with it to make smaller roths.

I have roth hybrids that are even bigger, the Paph Julius has close to 39" leaf span and still no flowering....

 

[orchidlife]

Yea. I still have all 10 of my roths. Granted, they are all in my living room under lights. They are big and bushy, but so are most multi-florals. I think one signature of a good orchid grower is that you have more and more plants each years because they are alive.


Yea, most of my other roths are Humongous, this one is the smallest one to bloom so far. I am hoping it stays small and have 4 to 5 flowers in the future! and if it does, I will likely make crosses with it to make smaller roths.

I have roth hybrids that are even bigger, the Paph Julius has close to 39" leaf span and still no flowering....

My Julius is not quite that big but getting there

 

[Tom-DE]

Yea. I still have all 10 of my roths. Granted, they are all in my living room under lights. They are big and bushy, but so are most multi-florals. I think one signature of a good orchid grower is that you have more and more plants each years because they are alive.

I thought the signature of a good orchid grower is that you have killed a boatload of them.
Let me tell you a funny but real story here, at our last club meeting, a lady won a raffle plant and I said to her, "Why do you want that? You don't grow orchids anymore..." and she said, "but I kill them and that makes me an expert!"
Let me tell you another one--probably 25 years ago, a late orchid club member said, "There are two types of hobbyists, the real orchid growers, and the orchid buyers..." He was talking about one of the ladies at the club who always bought plants in bloom/in buds and showed them at the meeting and claimed the "credit". A vicious statement but there is truth in it...(I think he had had a few drinks before he said that.) After that, no one at the club would claim the credit for the bloom if he/she has not grown the plants for at least 6 months...
To me, a good grower will have to grow and bloom the same plant better each year.