Dividing Paph. plant

[LLW]

Hi! First thanks for the info on lights. I am all moved into my new windowless office with a wire shelf set up with lights. My that was a lot to study and I hope I got it right! Now I have a new problem, I have a Paph. pinochio x Paph. delenatil. When I bought it it was in bloom so I left it alone. Now it is through blooming and I would like to divide it. It has what looks like several plants or Kikis? in the small pot. I can't see how you separate them though because they all appear to be in a "clump". I am new to Paphs and don't want to kill it. Help! Lashelle

[fred]

the first thing I would ask is why not just re-pot into the next size up pot ?
you could just re-pot and have the plant as a specimen
If the keikis are big enough you could take the plant out of the pot gently removing the potting media the keikis can be taken from the mother plant being careful not to break the roots.

But I would also recommend posting a pic of the plant so we can say for sure to remove the keikis or not ( as they may be to young to remove yet )

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by LLW

...Paph. pinochio x Paph. delenatil. ... I would like to divide it. It has what looks like several plants or Kikis? in the small pot. I can't see how you separate them though because they all appear to be in a "clump". ...

First of all, I echo Fred's question: Why divide? Unless there is a compelling reason (like rot) I strongly recommend not dividing your Paph. Why? Because if you leave it undivided, it will grow into a larger and more vigorous plant giving you more growths on each growth cycle which translates into more blooms. A big plant with 4-6 spikes of flowers is a lot nicer, stronger, and healthier than 4-6 individual separate plants some of which will bloom and some of which won't because the divisions may not be up to blooming size.

Paphs are sympodial orchids like a Cattleya. That means they grow a new growth which blooms and then is finished. The plant then grows another new growth or if allowed to grow on into a larger plant (not divided) it will branch and grow more than one new growth at a time. These new growths are what you're seeing in a "clump." These new growths do not grow roots until they are more mature. Therefore do not remove them. These new growths are not keikis. Paphs don't keiki.

If for some reason you are determined on dividing, un pot the plant, look at where the roots are and only divide between mature growths which posess complete root systems.

[LLW]

Wow! Thanks for the info. I may not divide it after all. I will look when I repot it and see what I have. The reason I wanted to divide it was so I could have one at home and one at my office. I have been reading up on which orchids will do OK under the lights in my new office and this one seems like a good choice. I don't have much room and this one is small. Two orchids that resided at my former office are WAY too big. Lashelle

[Vivienne]

I'm with Kevin and Fred... why divide? I was once in the frame of mind to divide and multiply, but I have since seen the results of not dividing and it is glorious!