Very nice Paphiopedilums. Cannot answer your question about leaving the fading flower to supply nutrients.

Thanks anyway. This the first time i've seen the flower die so I'll just wait and see what happens.

You can cut the stem of the flower, as it is the flowwered growth that gives energy to the rest of the plant so that the next new growth will then grow and adventually bloom.

Ok. Might be a stupid question but, when you say cut does that mean all the way to top or the bottom?

There are no stupid questions, that is how we all learn. Cut the flower stem off at the bottom. The only time you would leave it on the plant is if you had a paph that was a sequential bloomer which these are not.

Dragon,

Pretty plants! Below is a link to a really good phalaenopsis orchid website. It is loaded with good information. On the linked page, scroll half way down the page to the section titled "Cutting Spikes on a Phalaenopsis". It describes when and how to cut the spike.

Happy gardening!
Carol in Jacksonville

Here is a link that might be useful: Phalaenopsis Care

Thanks Bob for your feed back, really appreciate it. Thanks also to Carol that is a great link with lots of info.