Phal flowers doing the Exorcist thingy

[orchidsarefun]

is the best way to describe it. Is there a term for the flowers hanging every which way, even upside down, on the stem. I have noticed a couple of these for sale at the big box stores, all NOIDS unfortunately.
Is this probably a mutation that is now being target-bred ? similar to peloricism which also seems to be more prevalent ?

[camille1585]

Flowers facing every which way is likely not a mutation. If the plant is moved around a lot while the buds are developing, then that's what usually happens. Buds want to face the light, but if the light is never coming from the same direction then each bud gets 'frozen' in a different position.

[orchidsarefun]

maybe, but in such cases can't you tell from the flower stem ? it would be all twisty as the bud responded to the light direction ? I need to take photos when I see these things and unfortunately my cellphone camera is not that good.

[camille1585]

I've noticed that the stem will twist while it's growing, but once it's grown and 'set' into place, then it's the buds that do the twisting!

[Orchidaceae]

I'm quite certain it would be that the light direction was changing when the spike was developing. I grow my phals at a windowsill, and once the spike develops, I never move the plant. The flowers then all face in one-direction, and voila! no topsy-turvy ones.

[orchidsarefun]

Bud just posted photos of his zygo grex blooming. If you look carefully you will notice that the flowers all face different directions. I also remembered that my zygo grex - Kiwi Klassic x Mishima Goddess, had the same flower aspect when it flowered. My other zygo's did not. Mine are all in a SF window and I didn't move them during bud formation and flowering.