I noticed a bud forming several weeks ago, but it seems to be taking forever to develop, whats wrong?
Paphs can be frustratingly or tantalizingly (depending on your point of view) slow to push that bud up and open it. Paph. malipoense, for example, can slowly push the bud up over a period of months, especially if the humidity and light is low. Some others, such as Paph. hirsutissimum and Paph. tigrinum, can initiate a bud low in the growth and then hold it at that stage for several months before pushing it up. You need patience with Paphs. However, if you can look closely at the bud down in the growth, and it seems black or dark brown, and very thin, it has probably died (remember however that many vinicolor buds are very dark maroon normally). Now, you will have to wait until the plant matures a second growth for a flower. The bud on my Paph. has turned brown (or black). What happened? The ovary on this Paph. malipoense bud has turned brown, and the bud is starting to go. There are many reasons for ‘bud blast’, or the death of the developing bud. If the bud gets too cold, for instance
