Denise, I have at least ten blooming sized blubs,which bloomed the first year,because they were preconditioned by the grower.Subsequent years have been sporadic.This past march only one plant bloomed one stalk.Papilio sometimes blooms twice a year in Florida,but not for me.
Del

Fine, OK well into the compost pile it goes, then. Thanks for the info, Del.

I have heard that they don't like cold much. They can slow down and will live, but I think they are not happy about it. My young ones lost a fair bit of their leaves undrer protest during the early spring cold snap here. Perhaps that is a clue. Check your minimum nighttime winter temperatures. Geoff

Take it easy now hemlady :) H. papilio is a species not a hybrid. Species are known for both specific cutural needs and beauty of their blooms.
50% shade, sharp drainage, fertilizer, moderate temperatures.

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OK - it gets 50% shade, moderate fertilizer, great drainage, night temps when it is outside in the summer are around 65-75 or higher and water when needed. I bring it in the house in the cold weather. I think I just have a dud. Neon is working on the third flowering since Christmas this year, so I do know how to treat these guys. Is papilio that different? If so, I might give it a bit more time, but it is not justifying the space it needs in the house in the winter. I have never had a bulb not flower at all for me.

My papilios go out as soon as the threat of frost is over..and stay out until fall..night time lows in the 40s and 50s don't seem to bother them...some are in mostly full sun and another in half sun..just where they happened to land in the exodus of my 100 or so pots..I feed with liquid maybe once every couple of weeks and I also have added Osmocote 20-20-20 to all my pots. If we have an extended period of rainy weather and my pots can't dry out then DH and I move them all under shelter until the sun comes out again. All my pots... especially papilio... are allowed to completely dry out before I water again.

Please don't give up just yet as when it does finally bloom for you will be in awe at it's beauty and deservedly so...

Good luck..

Donna

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