Psychopsis spike formation

[smartie2000]

Hi,
My Psychopsis Mariposa 'Green Valley' spike has stopped developing for about 2-3 weeks now and it hasn't changed. Do they usually stop developing for that long to develop the bud?
I have west window light as well as fluorescent lights on the plant.

[Diane]

Well, what do you mean by stopped developing? If you mean that it has stopped growing, that is usually a sign that it is getting ready to set a bud. This can be a very slow process for the first bloom of a spike. If it already had a bud and the bud has stopped developing, that is a sign of concern, and I'd like to see a photo to help you diagnose the problem.

[smartie2000]

This is a first bloom of a spike. Unfortunately my camera doesn't give detailed photos of anything small. Basically the end of the spike is a elongated-pear-shaped sheath. Its the same size sheath as every other sheath it sent out between each node while the spike was growing. Meanwhile, the plant is sending out many new roots and a new leaf growth. It's also sending out something that could be a new spike (or leaf?) right next to the current spike at the base. I have no clue what its trying to do.

[sake of silence]

They do have sort of sheaths before the bud starts developing. If you ever see an old spike it has all these old sheaths underneath the new bud. Just be patient. Itll happen.

[Diane]

Sounds like it is setting the bud. With all the growth going on, it may be a bit slow, but be patient, it will happen.

[smartie2000]

Thank-you for the advice, I'm really new to Psychopsis. Maybe I'm too excited. I saw one at a show and it was huge! I don't think Psychopsis Mariposa 'Green Valley' will be as big though based on the size of leaves of the plant, but it's growing like a weed since I got it. Or maybe I'm wrong about flower size...

[Diane]

My Kahili 'Big' is by far the largest growing and the largest bloom size of any of my psychopsis. Mariposa is a medium to large plant. The species (papilio, sandereae, kramerianum, versteegianum, etc) are the smallest of my plants and blooms - with the alba forms being quite small. But all of them can form fairly large clumps. For example, the longest (newest) leaf on my Kahili is 17" long, while the longest leaf on my versteegianum (which is in bud as well) is only about 7". Yet both plants fill their 5" pots. The Kahili regularly blooms with flowers 8" tall, while the species are often 4 - 5 " (the sandereae has not bloomed yet, but it is supposed to be even smaller).

[smartie2000]

I think I have the bud now! It continually sent sheaths in the winter without elongating so my spike isn't too tall.


At my local show an asian importer imported large quantities of all types of orchids, I didn't purchase from them because I know they were geared towards making big bucks rather than care for keeping them santitary. One of the plants offered were Psychopsis Mariposa 'Green Valley'. The strangest thing was that they were all different sizes! The array of sizes was quite large. If they were mericlones the leaves and pseudobulbs would be similar, so I suspect that they were all selfings. Now I'm in question if mine was a selfing too because I bought mine from a internet auction vendor who imports a lot of asia, and I had to make a grex name correction on his catalogue for him (he just said he writes whatever is on the flask). Now referring back to the sales table recently, mine would be on the smaller end for size. Is selfing plants easier to mass produce these plants?

[Elena]

Wow, it's taking its time. I realy like these, their blooms are fantastic. Hope it opens soon!

[smartie2000]

I'm just googling.. I keep finding my own threads. Then I find this on some forum: Biggest Leaf 12'' - 13'', First Spike 26'' to Flower/Bud.
I can't measure right now because I'm not at home, but my leaves are probably 8 inches. I think it has around 7 pseudobulbs. My plant is definitely mature. It already has another devloping spike, the same one described above, long ago.