Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Maudiae-Type Slipper 'Black Jack' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Vinicolor Slipper Orchid (Paphiopedilum Maudiae 'Black Jack').

More about maudiae-type slipper 'black jack'

About Maudiae-Type Slipper 'Black Jack'

Paphiopedilum Maudiae 'Black Jack' · also called Vinicolor Slipper Orchid · flowering

Paphiopedilum Maudiae 'Black Jack' is a vinicolor Maudiae-type slipper hybrid grown for its near-black, wine-red flower and beautifully tessellated, mottled foliage. Compact, warmth-tolerant and reliably free-flowering, it is one of the easiest slipper orchids for the home. Like all Paphiopedilum it lacks pseudobulbs and must stay evenly moist.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Sheath or bud blast: Sudden swings in temperature, humidity or watering can abort developing buds. Keep conditions steady while a spike is forming.

The reasons maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' to flower

Maximise sun. Give maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' and get the feeding right with the maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Maudiae-Type Slipper 'Black Jack' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Maudiae-Type Slipper 'Black Jack' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' flower?

Maudiae-Type Slipper 'Black Jack' blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' bloom?

Give maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does maudiae-type slipper 'black jack' normally bloom?