care of Phal in spike

[KarenAnne]

Hello.
I have been growing orchids for many years, but one thing that I have never been sure of, is whether to rotate a Phal once the spike begins to grow.
I want the flowers to develop properly, facing the correct direction.
I have one in spike now, and it sits close to a window.
Can anyone give me some direction on this ?
I would really appreciate it.

[jerrymeola]

This is just a personal choice on your part. The plant will grow as it wants to and whether to rotate is an aesthetic choice on your part.

Since you asked I thought about my own orchids. I rotate all my plants (personal collection in a screen cage lanai, and realized I do not rotate my Phals which are on shelves next to the house in total shade.

As I thought about it I realized Phals do not have multiple bulbs and growth is consistently up wards from the center. The big leaves usually only have one or two ways that they will fit on the shelf limiting my options.

I have noticed I let the flowers grow horizontally out from the plant without staking the stem and I like it while many people do not.

If you do not rotate you will probably also get horizontal growth of the flower toward the sun. If you stake the flower stem, it also will keep the flower upright without rotating.

I have heard that if you rotate a phal just as the buds are about to open, the bloom twists toward the direction of the light, and this may cause it to look awkward on the spike.

[KarenAnne]

Thank you, both of you, so much.
I have long wondered how to handle this, and have sometimes ended up with flowers that faced the wrong way.