something strange has happend to my paph mildred hunter X fairrieanum. it has a new growth, far from being fully developed and yet there is another smaller growth starting to come out of the former. it's not next to it but actually popping from the growth's first 2 leaves. unfortunatly I don't have my digital camera with me so I can't send a photo. is this normal? does it indicate anything about the plant's shape? :roll:
thanks
amber

Yes, it is normal. It occasionally happens more often when a flower bud has blasted.

You can send it to me, and I will grow it out and make sure it is fine :poke: Sounds normal to me! Just make itself bigger for ya.

I think its pretty common for fairreanum too. I have several paph species that tend to sprout the new growth from between old leaves rather than lower on the stem.

Yah, I agree. A good number of my plants sprout growths from between the lowest leaves. Usually I just wait to see if the leaves below start yellowing, and when they're pretty far gone, I carefully pluck 'em. I learned that the hard way after snapping off a new growth...

--Stephen

Hi Amber,

I had a little seedling from a compot do the same thing. (I think)

Does it look like this???

http://pic17.picturetrail.com:80/VOL796/117745/519734/94852159.jpg

It's just a baby, but it seems like the same thing is happening. I was told it is not that unusual.

I have several paph species that tend to sprout the new growth from between old leaves rather than lower on the stem.

Me too - my tigrinum, and Julius come to mind.

I think we have two things going on here though. Susan's pic looks like Rob's 'The Queen' - maudiae issue, where the new growth basically keikis from the crown. Whereas what I am talking about and I think Rick and Stephen also, is a new growth sprouting through the leaves, not through the crown of the plant (causing a hole in the leaf, causing it to yellow and die - same thing I sometimes have happen w/ new roots.) However, I could certainly be mis-interpreting. Amber, could you take a pic when you have a chance?

In general, though, the same answer - no problem!

As a reply to the original question, "is the growth on a growth normal", I am unsure as to what you would define as normal! I find a shoot on a shoot a great occurance. My Paphioedilum Macabre 'Dr. Death AM/AOS x 'Dracula' AM/AOS has done a shoot on an immature shoot on an immature shoot. That is how in a few years, this plant has over 40 shoots on it! The problem with it is, not all those shoots will bloom. I am sure after all this excessive growing, it will start to bloom out correctly. It will be quite a show when in bloom next time, as growing has slowed down, and bloom sheaths are expected to pop up everywhere on him.....

As for that picture of a seedling popping up another shoot, I had Paphiopedilum ayubii :Shh: that never bloomed, and I had sold to a collector, in which the plant did this odd shooting up stems with shoots on them (no roots at all, just a shoot on a stick)..... The plant would not bloom, and so I quickly got rid of it..... BTW, the plant was legal, I bought it for the price of blooming sanderianum back then, about $350 or so..... I did not care for the flowers after I researched it, and new it was a newer species, but was not wanted (at least I don't think so????).....

I assume your plant might not bloom as frequently as it should, or shoots will not bloom..... like in both of my instances.....

ttyl,
-Patrick Mahon

thanks everyone!
paphgirl was right about the descreption, it doesn't look anything like susan's picture.
I was bothered with what patrick said though. it's nice to have a multigrowth plant but pointless if it doesn't bloom (and this is one of my most beutifull orchids ever!). it bloomed before as you can see:
http://photos22.flickr.com/27717074_5113b0496c_o.jpg

That is a very nice bloom, looks like a little Bull Dog in it, and the P. fairrieanum shape and format can be seen. I like your cross, and hope the best for it. Yes, it is pontless to have an orchid that multiplies into a trilion plants if it does not bloom, unless it was a Jewel Orchid..... in which I hate the primitive flowers.....

Good luck,
-PM

Hi Amber,

I had a little seedling from a compot do the same thing. (I think)

Does it look like this???

http://pic17.picturetrail.com:80/VOL796/117745/519734/94852159.jpg

It's just a baby, but it seems like the same thing is happening. I was told it is not that unusual.

No, nothing like this. This typically happens with wild-collected plants in low light conditions. This is
just a etiolated plant, but should otherwise be normal.

I'll show some pictures of growth in a growth...

Yes, please post photos. Guess I'm more visual that I thought. I'm having a difficult time visualizing what this would look like based upon written descriptions.

Thanks!!

I will try and get some pics of my growth on growth on growth (and possibly on another growth!). I will have to wait a while, as parentals have the digital camera..... It is quite amazing how this happens, I would never think that it would actually grow on immature shoots. Another thing my odd Macabre does is it grows upwards, not on a rhizome, but the roots are actually partially above the pot. The Macabre then makes this "bush", and covers the enire pot with shoots. It grows upwards when it does this shoot buisiness..... I like it, but want it to bloom! Hoping for a super-bloom, where all those mature shoots will suddenly decide to bloom..... I am not sure if it would or not.....

I still like that pic of your cross, it is beautiful, and hopefully it will bloom on both of those shoots......

ttyl,
-PM

http://www.phytosophy.org/forum/uploads/post-13-1122047095.jpg

I know this isn' t a very good picture, but it was taken with my phone.

This is very common among Paphs and Phrags. To name a few, my tigrinum, kolopakingi, stonei, esquirolei, lowii and many others have done it, so don't worry, it is normal.

Perfectly normal behavior. Don't worry about it until you repot, and then you can consider carefully removing the leaf below the new growth and potting the plant down a bit. But I wouldn't mess with it before your repot.

See it, Steve! Not bad for a phone pic. Thanks!

I was checking out my spicerianum seedling this morning as it has some new growths and I'm hoping it will go into sheath soon. (Hope springs eternal!!) Anyway, much to my surprise, my plant is doing the same thing as Wendy's. I guess it is pretty normal!! :lol:

http://photobucket.com/albums/b234/dustyatticstuff/th_Spicerianum.jpg

My venustum album from Ratcliffe has a growth coming in between the 2nd and 3rd leaf up from the bottom. I can see the botto leaf is strating to go too...

I have a suk. thats starting a couple of new growths on an old section of stem (below the main growth) that lost leaves about a year ago.

Sorry Amber, This was your post, not Wendy's. I guess I got confused as I was thinking about Wendy's loweii post in the photo gallery.

Didn't mean to confuse things!!!!

I was just surprised to find such a new growth on my own plant.