Quote Originally Posted by Kerry View Post
Here's one: When I bought my paph Helvetia (chamberlainium x philippinense), it had one fading bloom, one recently opened, one large bud and another teeny looking bud just starting up. Since the third bloom is now unfurling happily, the teeny other bud does not seem to have grown even a mm (or fraction of an inch for you undecimilised americans out there - I tell you when you start talking temp in °F, I have to go an get a thermometer to know what you mean!!). A picture is on post #27 of http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...me-paph-3.html

As it is a fairly young looking plant, should I not expect a lot of sequential blooms, and is it likely over and done with. Or could it be the change in conditions has put a halt to the growth.

How's that for a newbie question?
What does that mm thing mean again? Is that like 1/8 of an inch or 1/4 maybe?

Your question is a good one. Sequential bloomers will do exactly what you have described. The tease you into thinking they will put out an additional flower and then the bud just sits there, waiting for its brothers and sisters to start fading and then start to swell. You see, sequential flowers like all of the attention and do not like to share the stage, so they wait for the current act to finish before coming out for the applause.