I recently bought this plant at Woodsprite Orchids in New Gloucester, Maine. I was surprised and very pleased to see that they had Paph haynaldianum var. album. I'd been looking for one and they are hard to find. I happily bought this one. It has two capsules that I was told were a result of an accidential selfing. I mentioned to Richard, a co-owner, about possibly donating the capsules to Troy Meyers Conservatory, so they could make flasks. I also mentioned that I was concerned whether the plant could support two capsules.

Richard advised me to clip off the "top" capsule and to let the lower one mature. It sounds logical. Has anyone ever had this experience?? I had heard somewhere that two capsules might be too much for one plant to support. It sounds logical. Should I cut off one of the capsules? If so, which one???

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/dustyatticstuff/Capsule5.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/dustyatticstuff/Capsule6.jpg

Thanks! Any advice would be most helpful!!!

you want to get rid of capsules and others are trying so hard to get them :poke:

Stan, :lol:

I'd take both, definitely!!! I just don't want to kill the plant!!

if you are worried about the plant chop them off or atleast one. the plant uses alot of energy to form seeds your call. if you chop the entire spike you will probably get some new growths!

IS this plant a multi growth plant? I might think to cut off both capsules if it is not. If it is, I would cut off the top one as he had said.

Capsules on pardopetalums are small compared to the total mass of the plant, and relatively fast maturing. I pollinate mutiple flowers on my philippinense and lowii all the time, and don't loose plants. My lowii capsules generally only take 4 months to mature, so that's not a long time to stress the plant. However, one capsule will probably produce more good seed (and ultimately seedlings) than you are probably interested in raising anyway, so it isn't critical to keep both going.

Thanks Tadd & Rick! :D

It IS a multi-growth plant, so I think it can support a capsule. I just don't know whether It could support two. I have no photos of it, but I've seen flasks being offered on the Myers Conservatory web page without photos, and I'm confident that this is indeed a species. All I'd like is one flask for myself, but I'd love to see lots of flasks available to interested people. I just do not want to harm the plant.

I'm new at this capsule "mommy" sort of thing!!

haynaldianum album is very well known to self pollinate. do NOT remove the capsules. If the plant cannot support them both it will abort one on its own. orchidees produce that many flowers because they really can support that many pods at a single time, god was no fool. you may consider contacting steve topletz at nascent orchids in the usa and request some of his "experimental" pod paste. supposedly it will help your plant through motherhood in few ways and help it mature faster but i have not tried it. he can also flask your seed for you i think or troy meyers, both will go to conservation.

I agree with Ciliolare but was thinking of wording it another way. But generally plants and animals that live for a long time are not suicidal when it comes to their reproduction. So if you are confident that the plant is healthy it should suport a normal reproductive event without a problem.

Don't wory you'll be fine.

Thanks Ciliolare and Rick!!! :D

I'm excited about doing this. I guess the next step is to notify Meyers Conservatory and let them know that I have capsules. This is going to be great! I hope we get lots of seed.

Thanks so much!!

I DID send an email to Troy Meyers, asking how it works. I want to get one flask from each capsule and then donate the remaining seed/plants to anyone who is interested in getting a flask. I'll post here when I get more info as to how it works.

I agree with "ciliolare", do NOT remove the capsules. If the plant cannot support them both it will abort one on its own. If your plant has some problem the plant will be abort the capsule !!! Well, just look sometimes if the plant is hidraded, if your mass of root is good you don´t have any problem !!!!! GO A HEAD !!!!

Thanks Pahhio!! :Party:

I am going to go for it!!!

Oh Yes, and if we get germination and flasks, I am going to bring some of the babies back to the place where I bought the plant, as a freebee thank you.