Paph. Dollgoldi
Reply With Quote
It's generally assumed that hybrids are more tolerant of varying conditions, but sometimes that's not the case, especially with Paphs. If you're having problems inducing flowers, check the parentage of the grex and provide the conditions the parents would need.
In this case, you've got rothschildianum x armeniacum, both of which are cool growers. To induce flowering on either, in the fall and early winter, you need to provide *bright* light and cold, since that's what each species gets in the wild for their spring blooming. Both plants also need high pH (7.5 - 8.0) since they grow in limestone crevices, so Dollgoldi will be the same way. A 10 growth plant should have bloomed several times already, so if it hasn't, you'll have to provide the winter cooldown and bright light (grow it along with your Michael Koopowitz) the parents would normally receive in their natural habitats.
As far as general culture goes, since Paphs have no pseudobulbs, they rely on their thick roots for moisture retention. You can never let those go dry. I had to "discover" this years ago by accident. I kept Paphs of the same grex side by side right in front of the greenhouse cool pads where the temperatures never went above 85. Air leaks in the shutters behind the pads provided the necessary cooldown to the low 40s in winter. Lighting was exactly the same for all the plants.
The plants on the left side did great. The plants on the right side didn't grow nearly as fast or robustly, and they only bloomed "when they felt like it": very unreliable.
As it turns out, the growing shelf on the left is a solid piece of polycarbonate plastic covering the cool cell water tank, while the shelf on the right is wire mesh. The overspray from the cool cell puddled on the plastic, got absorbed throught the pots' drain holes, and provided the plants on the left a constant, *changing* supply of oxygenated water, while the plants on the right got no such treatment: the overspray just fell right through the wire mesh.
Pot your Dollgoldi in a medium / fine, well aerated mix that you can water frequently (several times a week) without keeping the medium soggy. If your medium holds too much water, that water held near the roots will quickly lose its oxygen supply and get "stagnant," a condition you want to avoid. Fertilize at every watering with a very dillute solution, and flush with clear water once a month to get rid of any accumulated salts. In the fall and winter, provide the necessary cooldown and bright, diffuse light.
You'll get your plant to bloom yet.
