Completely different bloom color

[psyc1210]

Ok, I am brand new to this board. I own a few phalaenopsis orchids, have had them for about a year.

I have had each one bloom successfully, and now one that is a newer orchid, purchased from Lowe's by my mother as a present..she bought it in bloom, which the blooms were white background with purple spots all over. I was very excited to see that I had a new spike a while ago, and the first bloom finally opened on that new spike. However the flower is not white or purple at all. It is a yellow color, with extremely faint, extremely small purple spots on the bottom two petals. Very confused as to why this would happen. It's not even similar to the previous flowers at all. The other two buds on this spike are still not open as of this point in time.

I will post my pictures of what the flower looked like previously, and what it looks like this time as soon as I upload them.

Does this kind of thing happen often, or anyone know what could cause it?

[mayres]

Welcome!
Are you 100% sure that you have only one plant in the pot? I have seen as many as THREE crowded together to give the appearance of a single plant. (I've also purchased a double at Lowes that was sold as a single - had one white and one yellow mixed).
Also, could you please update your profile to include where in the world you live? It will help in giving out better cultural suggestions in the future if you continue posting with us.
A picture of the entire plant from the top down might help show whether or not you have more than one plant.
Enjoy! mike

[psyc1210]

Ok, here are a few pictures....

First picture is of the plant when I first received it.

Second is of the new flower that just bloomed

Third and fourth, the plant itself.


I cannot tell if there is another plant in there. It doesn't appear that way....but maybe I just don't see it.

The tag on the plant says
P. Wedding Promenade
Color: Pk
08/28/06
L 1.3

[kmarch]

Orchids can show slight differences on different bloomings but not as dramatically different as what you've described. I'm inclined to think, as mayres, that there were different plants in the pot. The pics will be helpful when you're able to post them.

[mayres]

Well, the first pic certainly looks like the Wedding Promenade that others have been showing pics of. The picture of your plant looks like only one plant (at least one plant AT THIS TIME). I have seen a 2nd plant before that only had one or two leaves and no crown. Are you certain that a few leaves didn't yellow and fall off - potentially THE 2nd plant? As Kevin says, just doesn't make any sense otherwise. Those two flowers are too contrasting to be from the same plant in my experience.

[psyc1210]

Ok, I figured it out now. I didn't even think that it could be two plants. I followed the small amount that was left from the dried flower spike from last time, and realized it went a lot deeper than the new flower spike. So I took the whole thing out of the pot, and removed some moss from the top. Then still couldn't see it well enough so removed some more. As I did that it fell in half, one half was the leafy plant with the new yellow flowered spike, and the other half contained dead old rotted roots, the remains of the old flower spike, and what looked like it would have been the crown of the other plant.

So apparently there was a plant buried in with this one.

This plant has not lost any leaves since I have gotten it, it only grew a new leaf last month. And it had finished flowering in September. So I was really surprised to see a new spike forming last month.

So now mystery solved, and now I don't have the pretty purple spotted phal that I thought I had.

I kind of feel dissatisfied and want to get a new one ASAP.

[joan gero]

Yeh, Psyc, I think you should show Lowe's your photos and insist on a purple blooming plant!

Glad to have another geek in Maryland... there are a few of us here in the DC /midAtlantic region. If you check an earlier thread on here, a member named Janet has posted several upcoming dates for orchid events in the region: a tour of the Smithsonian botanical garden orchid collection, the Maryland Orchid Soc show, and the orchid show at Brookstone Gardens in Wheaton. See you there!

[mayres]

Nice to hear the mystery is solved. Thanks for sharing with us!

[sandra]

I was going to suggest that there may be a flower spike from another plant in with it but I see you solved the puzzle. This happened to me when I bought a harlequin and when I went to repot it after bringing it home, realized I had 2 plants.

I'm with Joan, if you're not happy with this one, bring it back to Lowes. Best of luck.