My paph dropped a flower

[Catcym]

This is the third time this paph dropped a shoe. Is it normal to drop a shoe before a new one develops. The flower(shoe) lasted approx a month then dropped. A new bud is in development.

[kip]

one month is pretty good, the flowers don't last forever. the plant will not usually drop flowers just because a new one is growing, only because the old one has lived out its life. it's possible for the plant to have more than one flower at a time.

[Orchidementia]

My sequential paphs do that - one flower blooms, ages and drops and the bud behind it matures and blooms, rinse, lather, repeat.

[dr_frnkblck]

With sequential Paphs can you tell beforehand that it will bloom again or does it start the next bud while the previous flower is blooming?

[Orchidementia]

With mine, the bud of the next flower is apparent while previous bloom is open. Sometimes they overlap and two flowers will be open at once, usually with the first two blooms (not always).

Here's an example of that: my Paph Virtuous 'Snow' x Pinocchio 'Prince' (there's another bud you can't see in this photo)



(on edit: if I'm wrong ... I'm sure I'll be educmacated shortly! I'm just going off what my plants have taught me!)

[Orchidementia]

Here's better pictures of another bud coming in on Pinocchio 'Otonio' x Welleselyanum 'Raisinette'

[dr_frnkblck]

So will that 3rd bud starting there be the last one or is it possible a 4th one will start up someplace?

[myorchid]

My Paph primulinum does the same thing. Sometimes I have two flowers at the same time for a little while.

It is on its 4th flower and I still see a bud behind it!

[NicC]

my Paph Pinocchio does exactly that and has since Jan 2008 (purchased then with a blossom.) I usually know I'm near the end when the colors get duller and sometimes the end of the cup starts to brown. The blossoms last about a month. I know another one is happening since I will see the bud swelling during the last week of the blossoms life.
A great, confidence building plant
Nick

[Orchidementia]

Originally Posted by dr_frnkblck

So will that 3rd bud starting there be the last one or is it possible a 4th one will start up someplace?

Depends upon the plant, culture, etc, etc, but yes, it's quite possible for a 4th, 5th, 6th etc bud to form in succession - the spike just keeps getting longer. Be sure to support the spike or risk what happened to me ... the weight of the new buds snapped the spike of one of mine.