[Guest]

hey... i sort of adopted/ received an orchid from a friend of a friend who had it for a bit and then didn't want it because they couldn't care for it and i (supposedly) can... long story short: it is a paphiopedilum "magic lantern" (delenatii x micranthum) and it has the flower spike-- however, i do not know if it has flowered yet or not, therefore i do not know if i should cut off the spike yet or not. my question is this: is there anyway to figure out if it has flowered yet? can i tell from looking at the plant? if there is no way to tell, is it detrimental to leave the spike on? if anybody can help or thinks they can help, i may be able to borrow a digital camera and get a picture as well. thanks a lot.

-shawn

 

[mbrutger]

The buds on most paphs take a while to develope, for example, i have one that sent up a spike a month and a half ago and is just starting to open today. Does it have a bud or is it just a dried out brown stem? If it hasn't bloomed you will see a definate bud on the end. If it is just a stem it most likely has already finished blooming and the flower has fallen off.

 

[benmz]

If the stem is brown you can cut it off. If it's green leave it on until it blooms or becomes brown. It is not detrimental to leave it on, but it may become a source of infection in the future, if it is left on.

-Ben

 

[Guest]

thanks a lot... i am pretty sure the spike still just hasn't flowered yet. thanks.

-shawn