I have no idea what to do with this Blue Mystique

[pitcherday]

Hello!

I volunteer at a local botanical gardens and they often give away plants that were part of old displays or need extra love. Anyway, over Christmas, there was a rather large display of Blue Mystique orchids, which they were now giving away, so I took one. I always wanted an orchid, so now I guess I have a challenge

It has two spikes. One looks like it has a new flower opening up on the end, but the other flowers on the spike are limp. The other spike has a crunchy bloom on it and the very end of it is brown and yellowing under that.

I am not sure what to do with this plant. Do I pick the limp flowers off? What about that apparently dying spike? The roots are out of the top of the pot and I can see some of those ends are brown and crunchy too, but I haven't been able to see any pictures of what an orchid that needs repotting looks like. It has nice, big, green shiny leaves with no spots or yellowing on them.

I am willing to put in the time and effort to take care of this orchid. I understand why it is blue and that if I can get it to re-flower, it will most likely be white. It will still be great to have it in white - the flowers are very pretty no matter what color. I hope it isn't a lost cause plant.

Thank you for any tips you have for this uber-newbie.

[Slick]

Hey pitcher,
Orchids can be pretty tough, could you put up some photos of the plant. Best of luck.

[katrina]

It sounds like your new phal is just about done blooming. You can cut the dried/drying (yellowing) spike down to the base. The other one you can leave until it's done blooming...or you can cut the spike now.

Since it is about done blooming, now is a good time to repot your new plant. Pull it out of the pot, clean off all the old medium, trim any mushy/soft roots you find, and then repot into some fresh orchid medium. Be sure to choose a pot that has drainage holes.

It's really not difficult...if you've grown plants before then you should have no trouble w/this if you remember that most orchids are epiphytes (grows on trees) vs terrestrial (growing in soil) and they absolutely require good air flow at the roots. Their roots function differently than terrestrial plants and once one understands that...the rest usually falls right into place.

Here's an AOS culture sheet this will give you great direction for the conditions your new phal requires.
http://www.aos.org/Default.aspx?id=204

If you have any other questions...just ask.

Welcome to the wonderful...and very addictive...world of orchids!

[Daethen]

Katrina covered the basics perfectly. You should do just fine with your new baby. Do not over water. That is a more sure way to kill it than to under water. I would not use Miracle Grow Orchid Mix if you can find a different medium. It is an aweful lot like chunky soil and may smother the roots.

[Emma Grey]

One more thing: put the plant that is just a bit larger than the root ball, say a finger width wider. Phals don't like to be over-potted.

[Reg22]

Welcome to the forum! You received excellent advice from Kat. You are right about the color; I have one that was given to me blue last year and it just rebloomed this week and it's a beautiful, pristine white. I love it now (not so much before ).

[pitcherday]

Thanks so much for your help. I heard that orchids were plants that were very difficult to grow, but it seems like this type isn't too difficult.

lol, Reg22, I am kind of looking forward to a not-so-blue Blue Mystique next time it blooms.

It's great that there are so many people willing to help a noob out!

-Dayna

[jayfar]

Originally Posted by pitcherday

Hello!

I volunteer at a local botanical gardens and they often give away plants that were part of old displays or need extra love. Anyway, over Christmas, there was a rather large display of Blue Mystique orchids, which they were now giving away, so I took one. I always wanted an orchid, so now I guess I have a challenge

Maybe it's just me, and please don't take offense, but I find it a little disheartening that a botanical garden would buy into the fake colored flower thing and risk their institutional credibility. Hopefully their rather large display included a sign of disclaimer about the color.

[Fishmom]

Agree, jayfar, it does seem like an odd choice for a botanical garden. I was thinking that maybe they (the garden) got them cheap or free when the purveyors of the blue guys couldn't sell them! At least, I hope that was it.

[koshki]

Originally Posted by jayfar

Maybe it's just me, and please don't take offense, but I find it a little disheartening that a botanical garden would buy into the fake colored flower thing and risk their institutional credibility. Hopefully their rather large display included a sign of disclaimer about the color.

I was thinking the very same thing!

[katrina]

Originally Posted by jayfar

Maybe it's just me, and please don't take offense, but I find it a little disheartening that a botanical garden would buy into the fake colored flower thing and risk their institutional credibility. Hopefully their rather large display included a sign of disclaimer about the color.

Chances are there was a blue theme going on at the facility. Our local...and very highly acclaimed...conservatory did a theme based something or other a few years ago and had a variety of dyed flowers to match the theme. No dyed orchids just other flowers and it was rather pretty and festive.

Many botanical gardens have to do a lot of other things these day in order to stay open and in business. Our local one has turned into a flurry of events...and many of the people attending have no interest in the plant life...it's more about the wine and socializing aspect. A business has to do what a business has to do to stay in business and I can't blame them for that. I'd rather see them doing these things if it means the doors stay open vs. losing the facility.

[lmartiny]

I'm late chiming in here but Blue Mistique is the newest name for the blue dyed Phals. And what gets me is they upcharge them by ten bucks. It is a basic white Phal.

[pitcherday]

I didn't take offense, it is a fair question and one that was addressed by the garden.

There was signage all through the display explaining how the flower got its blue color and there was also a long explanation of why this type of thing is controversial in the field and had a "now that you know, how do you feel about dying a flower like that?"

It was very educational.

Sorry my reply took so long. I don't post from my smartphone and that is usually how I surf.

[Shannara]

I'm happy to hear the botanical garden was very clear that the plants were dyed. My main issue with these dyed plants has always been the concern that in the future they will use this dye process to "enhance" the color of already colorful blooms and not disclose they have done so. For instance make an already red bloom REALLY red to sell at a show. Then the customer who purchases it can't figure out why, later on when it reblooms, that the color isn't as intense.

Every time I see these for sale I wonder if the grower will cross the line with this process and deceive their customers. Especially now that they have branched out their dyed orchids to more natural color ranges like purple, peach, etc. I sincerely hope that never happens.

We do hope you stick around the forum and that your new orchid will flourish in it's new home.


Shann~

[jayfar]

Originally Posted by pitcherday

I didn't take offense, it is a fair question and one that was addressed by the garden.

There was signage all through the display explaining how the flower got its blue color and there was also a long explanation of why this type of thing is controversial in the field and had a "now that you know, how do you feel about dying a flower like that?"

It was very educational.

Oh, my bad then. In the context you describe it sounds like a very positive thing they did in raising the issue and educating the general public.

[pitcherday]

Oh, I CAN post from my phone. Nice.

Yes, the current display was about controversial techniques in horticulture. They did not mention people using natural colors to "enhance" but that is pretty underhanded. I am not even sure how much a Blue Mystique cost since I got mine free. I know we sold normal orchids there for upwards of $75, but the garden is mainly funded by plant sales and such so I didn't know if it was higher than normal. But if normal ones are $75, I can just imagine what this blue one cost. And quite honestly, that blue was garish and unbecoming of a beautiful plant. I don't know why you'd want that, but to each his own.

I really hope my orchid does well. If it does, I will try my hand at others. I will definitely be around!

~Dayna

[Shannara]

Originally Posted by pitcherday

Oh, I CAN post from my phone. Nice.

Yes, the current display was about controversial techniques in horticulture. They did not mention people using natural colors to "enhance" but that is pretty underhanded. I am not even sure how much a Blue Mystique cost since I got mine free. I know we sold normal orchids there for upwards of $75, but the garden is mainly funded by plant sales and such so I didn't know if it was higher than normal. But if normal ones are $75, I can just imagine what this blue one cost. And quite honestly, that blue was garish and unbecoming of a beautiful plant. I don't know why you'd want that, but to each his own.

I really hope my orchid does well. If it does, I will try my hand at others. I will definitely be around!

~Dayna

Dayna,

They definitely picked a controversial topic! There have been numerous threads on the forum about these dyed Phals. As for the "enhancing" I am not aware of any grower who has done this without disclosure to the consumer...yet. I recall in the past that some retailers were not making it clear to their customers that these were dyed. The last few displays I have seen locally appear to have better signage addressing the fact that they are dyed. Hopefully this just a passing fad.

Shann~

[jpyerry]

In my experience, everytime I've been somewhere that sells these things, the sales staff once they have identified me as being interested in orchids, starts telling me about how they are not dyed nor are they hybrids, both flat out lies. But, I never blame the sales staff, most of them are teenagers just trying to work an after school job for a few extra dollars and clearly they are being coached by somebody since no matter where I find the plant, the staff have the same speech. I probably seem like jerk for it, but I usually try to re-educate the staff at this point if I have the time.

It is refreshing to hear that an institution that is selling these plants is actually being honest about what they are and using it as a jumping off point to provoke discussion.

[pitcherday]

Originally Posted by jpyerry

It is refreshing to hear that an institution that is selling these plants is actually being honest about what they are and using it as a jumping off point to provoke discussion.

Just to clarify, we did not sell them. Once they were done blooming, the display was dismantled and the orchids given away. The orchids we were selling were not dyed or painted in any way.

[jpyerry]

Originally Posted by pitcherday

Just to clarify, we did not sell them. Once they were done blooming, the display was dismantled and the orchids given away. The orchids we were selling were not dyed or painted in any way.

I did not mean to imply that you were and after re-reading my post I realize that I miswrote that, and I apologize. I was just trying to commend you for bringing a very contentious issue to discussion. I think what your institution did was a very good thing. As to the broader issue, personally I don't think that selling a dyed orchid is necessarily such a terrible thing, I just think that people need to know what it is they are buying.

Justin

[Micky]

Originally Posted by jpyerry

In my experience, everytime I've been somewhere that sells these things, the sales staff once they have identified me as being interested in orchids, starts telling me about how they are not dyed nor are they hybrids, both flat out lies. But, I never blame the sales staff, most of them are teenagers just trying to work an after school job for a few extra dollars and clearly they are being coached by somebody since no matter where I find the plant, the staff have the same speech. I probably seem like jerk for it, but I usually try to re-educate the staff at this point if I have the time.

It is refreshing to hear that an institution that is selling these plants is actually being honest about what they are and using it as a jumping off point to provoke discussion.

I love how you take the time to 're-educate' them. There's nothing worse than dealing with some dumbass that hasn't been trained with the truth.

[pitcherday]

Originally Posted by jpyerry

I did not mean to imply that you were and after re-reading my post I realize that I miswrote that, and I apologize. I was just trying to commend you for bringing a very contentious issue to discussion.

No apology necessary. It didn't upset me in any way. And thank you for the commendation.

After hearing what a big deal dyed orchids seem to be, I am proud that I volunteer at a place that would foster discussion and understanding. so thank you.

~Dayna