Random Orchid pic's

[nepenthes_ak]

ehh w /e hear we go

First ever Orchid.. Phal something and other to hard to tell. its on its second flush of Flowers...

Will this continue to grow into a new flower stem? (this is an old break from wheni saved it from certain death... by me or the store.. so i gave it a shot)

Bordom!

cheers

 

[herenorthere]

That'll grow and people who have great growing conditions can keep those things in bloom or about to bloom almost all the time.  I do better by allowing a Phal to bloom and fade in time for a full summer of growth before starting the next spike in the fall.  Trying to squeeze a re-bloom out of a plant seems to take a lot out of a plant.  Those later blooms aren't so long-lasting in the hotter weather of summer anyway.  Your mileage may vary.

 

[nepenthes_ak]

Hmm i didnt know that ill rember that for those long winter days when i need flower color(cause ill have pleanty during the summer), well acutaly not much color thatn what i see in the back yards with my dogs... (no red though! lol)

lol
Cheers

 

[CopcarFC]

How long do the flowers last? I have one just like that and those flowers have been there for what seems like forever.

 

[herenorthere]

Those Phals with big white flowers can keep their bloom for months.  I've given all mine away, but they always started blooming mid-winter and would still be in bloom when I put the plants out for the summer.  The wet, humid weather always killed the flowers pretty quickly, but also kicked the plants' growth into overdrive.

 

[Gemini528]

I've had mine in bloom for about three months now, and it still has five flowers out of seven!

 

[nepenthes_ak]

That has 3 out of 5 blooms and has several more on the way STill.

Cheers

 

[DerbyCityNeps]

this is my orchid i saved it from meijer's! its a phal. hybrid and i think i know what it is. they call it Phal. 'Golden Treasure'

heres the flower

i have a question. if anybody has had experience with air-layering orchids please PM me. its what i get when i get sumthing nice.....my grandparents(both sides) want one to!

 

[herenorthere]

You can't air layer a Phal and they aren't easy to clone by any other means either.  Unlike most other orchids, it's very rare for a Phal to grow a new plant from its base.  Some will naturally grow keikis (babies) on their flower stalks and Phal equestris (and its hybrids) do that a lot.  Others can be coaxed into growing keikis by applying something called keikigrow (I think) to inactive flower buds.  I've never done it, but that's the only way to clone a Phal without doing that junior microbiologist tissue culture thang.  If you're set up for that, you can duplicate them by the thousands, but your grandparent will probably lose their interest after the first hundred.

 

[DerbyCityNeps]

Thanks Bruce. can other orchids be air-layered? My dads friend works with orchids and he suggested it.....i gues he might have been thinking of another type...

 

[herenorthere]

There's no need to make all the effort to air-layer them.  Usually orchids are just divided and potted or mounted or whatever.  It's nice if you can get some good roots with the division, but not a big problem if you can't.  Just protect a new division from direct sun and excessive drying until it can get itself established.  It's usually best to wait until an orchid starts an active growth cycle before dividing or repotting it.