Dear all
I have had a division of Mme Martinet 'La Tuilerie' AM/RHS for close to 3 years. It grows like a weed and has 7 growths. So far, no bloom. I paid a fortune for it and I would really like to see it bloom. Any idea how I could persuade/force it to do something for me? I have heard it needs a cool rest but I really don't want to kill it with too much cold. Thanks for your input.

Hi Wentworth,
My question is if your plant has flourished some time. If it it has not done, can be because your plant has to be because your plant has to Paph.delenatii as the ancestor and like well itself save, the Paphiopedilum delenatii of the family Lecoufle ( La Tuilerie),lost a lot of viavilidad genetic al to be possessors of the last delenatii existing in many years. I have Paph. Delrosi and the same thing occurs me.
Patience and resignacion

Try giving it more light and see if that helps! Usually, it is lack of ample light for plants to not bloom.

Try giving it more light and see if that helps! Usually, it is lack of ample light for plants to not bloom.

What size are the growths? If you are getting many healthy, but smallish growths, the problem might be the exact opposite. Is Madame Martinet a mottled leaf hybrid? How dark are the leaves? The reason I'm asking is that I once bought a beautiful mutigrowth Paph St. Albans from a friend who couldn't get it to bloom. The leaves were slightly paler than normal, but otherwise very healthy. I deliberately put the plant in a low light area to increase the color of the leaves. (By lower light, I mean Phaleanopsis light.) The leaves darkened, the growths present started growing a little larger, and by the following year, I had two spikes. The second year, I had four! Good luck!

Ross

You may want to give it a few waterings with a high phosphorus fertilizer (ie: 10-30-20). It may give the boost it needs during the late August thru October bud setting time!

Send it on vacation to South Africa, I will send you photos when it flowers. :D

Many thanks, my friends. Yes, it was made with the Lecoufle delenatii by the Lecoufles themselves. The growths are very healthy--no problem about that. It certainly isn't an ailing plant. The leaves are superb. It just won't bloom. I shall try a little more light but Paphiopere is probably right--it's because of the delenatii. I shall be patient and avoid the Lecoufle delenatii in the future (I should have known, though, my Darling 'Aiko' does the same).

The lesson to be drawn is that we should look for the newer clones (my Roths x Gold Dollar from Sam Tsui is in spike after only 2 years--Sam's a genius).

Thanks to all once again

What is the other parentage besides delanatii? Delanatii doesn't need much if any rest.

Mme Martinet is callosum x delenatii neither of which requires a cool rest. Go figure...

Mme Martinet is callosum x delenatii neither of which requires a cool rest. Go figure...

Uh fellas; Doesn't a "rest" when we're talking Paphs sometimes also simply mean just a "dry spell" ?

Cheers
Stephan

You are correct Stephan, but neither of these species is notorious for needing either a cool or dry rest period. They can both be found towards the southern end of Vietnam at fairly low elevations. You could expect at least a 20 degree (F) temp difference between winter and summer averages, and some pretty big rainfall differences. It wouldn't hurt to get this plant into the low 60's in the winter with reduced water, but it shouldn't be neccessary for blooming.

The geology underlying these species is similar, and lets them run a bit to the acidic side.

Wentworth.. what type of potting mix are you using, and what pH is your water?

Thxs RickL for your interest. My mix is CHC/perlite/charcoal in the proportions recommended by Antec. I use RO water and MSU fertilizer at 450-500 microsiemens during the growing season and 150 in winter.
Yours

I think there is another issue here....as I recall, this particular hybrid has a reputation of being difficult to bloom. While most clones of delanatii are easy to bloom, not all of its hybrids are easy. In fact, from my experience, delanatii hybrids are either very easy ( Vanda M Pearman, hybrids with any of the cochlopetalum group or brachypetalum group) or very difficult...Black Diamond, Delrosi...............In my experience, if a paph is growing well and physically thriving, eventually it should bloom........however, that could be a very long "eventually"! Take care, Eric