Phal help

[Jaydiggity21]

Hey guys!

I got this Phal for my birthday (April 24th) and the flowers still look amazing! It is potted into a small little plastic pot inside of this nicer decorative pot. I am using the skewer method and am only needing to water it every 2 weeks or so. I have read somewhere that phals will reposition themselves so that they are at a 45 degree angle toward the light, and it looks that is exactly what it has done. Also, the roots are coming out of the pot and it is becoming increasingly unsteady in the pot. Please look at the pics and maybe advise me on what I should do. I know not to do anything until it is done flowering, but once it is, what should I do? It is on a ledge in a room with a western facing window, but it gets no direct sunlight. Thanks a million!

Jason

[pikevi]

hmmmmm, that explains it. I have a few Phals which are almost hrizontal.

It poses problems in positioning in a group of orchids, watering, spraying etc.

We learn everyday!

[Lucinda Brown]

I think I would gently restake the spike with a longer stake and at the same time,move the whole plant into a more upright position until it's through blooming.It looks as though it's about ready to fall out the pot.

[Sharyn]

Jason: From the looks of your mantle, looks like she had a little too much Champagne!
I agree with Lucinda, gently restake into a more upright position. After blooming, you can reposition her in the pot. If you're worried about it falling out of the pot, do it now. Phals can be repotted and/or repositioned in the pot any time. They're very forgiving.

[kmarch]

The plant looks healthy, thick crisp leaves and fat beefy roots. The flowers are sublime too. It looks like one of the line-bred Phal aphrodites. Did it come with a tag? If not could i possibly trouble you to try to take and post as close up a shot as you can get of the flower's lip? There's a small identifying structure in the lip that will tell me if it is an aphrodite or not.

[Jaydiggity21]

No problem, I tried to get it as close as possible but the camera was acting weird, thanks!

PS if it helps the flowers are about 6 cm wide by 4.5 cm tall

Jason

[kmarch]

Thanks, Jason, for the additional pics. So there was no tag with this fella? I was able to see what I was looking for in the close-up, namely the callus which appears to be 2-toothed suggesting Phal amabilis (Phal aphrodite has a 4-toothed callus). But the markings on the inside of the lip are not consistent with Phal amabilis. I suppose it could be a primary hybrid....hmmmm.

[pikevi]

kmarch: Could one of these be a Phal. amabilis.

The one without the red in the middle is really gorgeous and at certain lighting shines as if they have been dusted with silver dust.

Thanks.

[Jaydiggity21]

Yeah, no tag, my g/f bought it at a local nursery around here and it came packaged like it is. Thanks for the help though!

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by pikevi

kmarch: Could one of these be a Phal. amabilis.
The one without the red in the middle is really gorgeous and at certain lighting shines as if they have been dusted with silver dust.
Thanks.

The first one with the red lip, definitely no. It's a hybrid. I don't know of any species Phal that has a white flower/red lip combination. There are many white/red lip hybrids so it will be practically impossible to id by the flower.

The second one...I doubt it although its petal shapes do suggest some amabilis or aphrodite parentage somewhere in the background.

[Sharyn]

pikevi: The shining white phal is beautiful. It almost has an opalescence. I've never seen that before. You have quite a nice collection.

[pikevi]

OK, kmarch. Since you were talking about the white Phal. of Jaydiggity21 I thought one of these two may be an amabilis.

Sharyn: Those flowers were so shiny I used to watch them under different colour lights for hours. Blue light was the best to bring out the glorious luminescence. I hope I will find some other orchids that have shiny flowers as well.

[jerrymeola]

Jason

Phals naturally grow down from tree branches not up wards in a pot.

The natural tendency of the plant will be to grow down over the side of the pot.

You can compensate for this by re-potting regularly and repositioning the plant.

If it has fallen out since you got it, then the roots will be loose in the pot. You can avoid this with pot clips next time you re-pot.

If you continue to grow them in a pot vertical, avoid getting water in the crown (the portion between the leaves) as this has a tendency to rot.