3 questions:

What kind of lights are you using and how close is the plant to the lights?

Do you have a name for the plant?

How big is the plant (leaf span)?

hi terpguy,thanks for responding.i have regular plant lights on it,the kind that fit into a metal fixture.about a foot away,because of the heat. the plants tag says:ox-detailer x ruby mist 16-08. the larger older leaves are 6",smaller leaves about 2-3".knowing this can you tell me what to do for it?it's under very bright light.like i said,the phals and afr.violets are blooming or putting out spikes.thank you

I suspect your plant might be a bit too small at 6" leaf span. To get this you are measuring leaf tip to leaf tip?

However paphs can sometimes need just a touch more light than phals, even the mottled leafed paphs. I'm assuming by "regular plant light" you are referring to 4' fluorescent tubes. If that's the case then a foot away is too far. These tubes generate little heat and you can put it within an inch and it will be ok. I would raise it up to at no farther than 6" from the tube, if not closer.

This post was edited by terpguy on Sun, Jan 12, 14 at 15:41

hi terpguy,yes i measured from tip to tip.there is the original plant and then a new set of leaves that have come up too,they have a couple that are 6"long.i don't have it under fluorescent lite,it's under a regular incandensent plant grow light,150 watts,puts out lot of heat,that's why it's about a foot away.thank you again

For many reason I suggest you replace the bulb with a cfl.

Are these also in front of a window or is this their only source of light?

I agree with Terpguy. Replace the bulb or add another light.

Personally, I had better results with CFL's than plant lights when I started plants from seeds. Unless you buy a specialized plant light, best to use a CFL at the highest wattage the lamp will hold.

When a healthy plant refuses to flower, it is not getting enough light.

Jane

Couple of questions:

That plant may like it a bot cooler than phals, what is the normal temp around the plants?
When was the last time it was re-potted?
You say there are 3 new growths, is that new leaves or are there any new plantlets developing around the base?

My general experience is that you usually need multiple growths on a Paph for it to bloom.

I would: Re-pot and give more/different (CFL or LED) light.

Good luck,

Bob

Bob, this is maudiae breeding so temps shouldn't be a problem indoors.

terp,

I saw a thread from a different site that mentioned that P. "Ruby Mist" may need cooler temps?

Isn't everything on the internet accurate ;-)

Bob

hello to all who answered,there is an original plant in there and a second plantlet too,the temps around the plant is 66-70 degrees.i will replace the lite with a cfl,when could i expect to see it bloom?thank you all so much! p.s.it was repotted a year and a half ago.it's in the same 3" pot from when i bought 3 years ago.

For a six inch LS plant, absent further info, I think a 3" pot should be fine.

I just feel like it's either the plant is a tad too small or, as Jane and myself have noted, a light issue. Either way, a plant that size in good culture should bloom in a year or two.

Bob, they are all complex colorata with little variation in culture needs. Lump them all together and round them up to warm is a pretty safe bet.

thank you terpguy ,for your thoughts.i hope this plant will bloom for me,the flower was beautiful.i didn't know that these plants could take forever to bloom.

I just realized it had previously bloomed. Does it have any new growths? Not new leaves from the top of an existing growth, but a whole new tiny plant starting from the bottom or sides of the existing growth.

In my experience, Paphs will not bloom from previously bloomed growths.

Bob

hello westoh.yes,there is a totally new plant next to the original one,it has some leaves that are 6"long.do you know when these typically bloom?thank you for your time.

Good catch Bob, I totally missed that!

It should have bloomed by now from the new growth. I'm now in the camp of give it more light

I've had a motteled leaf Paph for only a year, and while it hasn't bloomed it's put out quite a lot of leaves. You've had the plant for 3 years and I think you mentioned only a few new leaves, right? It might be young... but it might not be getting the right set of light/water/neutrients. I bet it's not a species plant and all hybrids are a little different. I know mine started with 6 leaves and it's already up to 13 leaves, with a third of them hitting 6 to 7 inches in length. I don't use a grow light. I have them in a south facing window with UV film on the windows to block 70+% of the UV so it's direct/in-direct light. Seems to love it. My phals don't love it as much but I kinda like a phal with a tinge of red to the leaves. Lol. I'm a cruel phal parent. I'm thinking you should move it, find it a spot it likes. I also put mine into a self watering pot after the first 6 months. It's the only plant I have in one. And I tend to keep the water in it's basin rather low so that the basin dries out (but not the orchid medium) between waterings. I only add more water when the medium feels on the drier side, but never bone dry. Good luck. I'm sure it'll bloom for you some day. Oh, and don't forget to drop the temp. I hear they need to get cold (mid to high 50's) to induce blooming.