Paph bloom question

[Daethen]

I am looking at buying a paph that has nine growths. Many are mature but have never bloomed. It was growing somewhere that was thought to be too warm for blooming. The seller doesn't think the older ones will ever bloom. Is this the case or with proper culture would they all have the potential to bloom?

[PaphMadMan]

It may depend on the type of Paph it is, which you haven't mentioned. In general it is not impossible for older mature growths to bloom when a plant is moved to more favorable conditions. Also, some species and hybrids are notoriously slow to mature and reluctant to bloom. Nine mature growths before they bloom at all wouldn't be unusual for those.

[Daethen]

It is a complex hybrid. (Macabre x Gloriosum) x Mount Toro. I guess I didn't realize it mattered.

[EMos]

If the mature growths fail to bloom, they will still send new leads that will bloom given the proper care. You will eventually end up with a nice specimen plant.

[PaphMadMan]

It is a complex hybrid. (Macabre x Gloriosum) x Mount Toro. I guess I didn't realize it mattered.

This hybrid is not registered, but (Macabre x Gloriosum) is Odette's Ghost, a Maudiae-type hybrid, if you would like to update your tag. Mount Toro is a multifloral hybrid. Multifloral crosses with Paphs of other types like this can be reluctant to bloom at all, or may need to be a very large mature plants before blooming. It might not be ready. It will probably benefit from brighter light than most Paphs, and is not cool growing like some.

When talking about Paphs the term 'complex' usually refers to the large rounded heavy textured hybrids resulting from many generations of breeding with Paph insigne, villosum, spicerianum and a mixture of other species - the types often called bulldogs or toads. While your Paph is complex in the sense of resulting from many generations of breeding and distinctly different types it usually wouldn't be called 'complex' .

[Daethen]

Thanks, PaphMadMan. So I either have a plant to small to bloom or one that will be very difficult to bloom. And thank you for correcting me on my use of complex. I am only a year into orchids and a few months into paphs, so I am still learning.

[PaphMadMan]

Thanks, PaphMadMan. So I either have a plant to small to bloom or one that will be very difficult to bloom.

It might also be that it simply wasn't getting good care before. Giving it consistent good care is the first step no matter what. Then maybe the next new growths will surprise you.