How long will Phals live

[skipper]

I keep Phals, and I have one that is about five years old and blooms every year. My question is how long can one expect these plants to live. I give them everything that I can, and the conditons we have seem to be pretty good. Just a question.

Dale

[mayres]

We've discussed this question before. Potentially most orchids could outlive all of us - without disease pressure and with ideal culture - indefinitely........

You are right Mayres, some orchids in the rainforests have been there for years and no one can touch them because they are very high up on the trees. I saw a National Geographic feature scientists on long bunjee chords with lever wheels explore high on the tree tops and some orchids are shown that have been there for ages.

[pikkumyy]

i would say that orchids could grow for every with the right conditions, but who knows, but definitely a long time

[orchidaddict789]

I've seen giant orchids which have been growing for years and years...

Phals can live a long long time.

On the other hand, there are certain species like psygmorchis pusilla which can only live a couple of years, from what I've heard.

[DesertRayne]

They're like lobsters! :-O

Unless diseased, eaten, killed, or starved they could just keep growing and growing and growing.

[Greybeard]

Yep, they just keep going and going and going..... energizer bunny eat your heart out They are the only things my kids are going to inheirit from me, well that and bills

[skipper]

Thanks everyone. I knew they could last a long time, but I didn't know that long. Thanks again.

Dale

[plucker]

Phals are funny things. They could grow forever or just roll over one day for some reason as listed above.