It's a baby boy Phal stuartiana!!!!! Yeah!!!!

[ChasWG]

Well I went to the garden center today in search of a 50% off catt. to play around with and test out caring for it before I buy a full on expensive one.

That's not what I ended up buying. All the 50% off catts. were either very expensive or nasty looking. What I found at my local GC was they had 25% off on all their nice, blooming orchids. So that's what i got. It's not in bloom (yet) but I love the colors of the varigated leaves! Something different.

On to the pictures!!!!











I had to repot it. It was in a very tiny little pot with almost no bark surrounding the root. It was very dried out. That's why the leaves look a bit wrinkled. I am told by people who own these Phals that the leaves will plump up again. And that this particular Phal always wants to be moist. And to never let it dry out fully.

[Pilot]

Sweet find, Chas! Maybe I'll bump into you tomorrow. I figure I'd go to check out the roses (not to buy-- but their collection is amazing and smells so good!).

I have a phal species with leave quite like this-- they're very pretty leaves on yours too. I have found that the dried roots on these phals-- so long as they're not totally crispy brown, will bounce back in what seems like overnight! Keep us updated on the blooms.

[Zoi2]

Good choice Chas
Joann

[kinknstein]

Nice find Chas!

[jkofferdahl]

Very nice little snag. Phal. stuartiana is a lovely bloomer. As it matures you'll get huge, branching sprays of flowers. Great choice!

[ChasWG]

So an update to this little Phal. story:

The leaves have plumped back up! YEAH!!!! And they are nice and rigid again. I was a bit worried at first. It has three leaves and the two main leaves were kind of nasty and limp. (why didn't I notice that in the store? hmmmmmm... probably a common mistake we all make) Well things are much better now. The leaves are very healthy and so are the roots. The buds are getting bigger and the lowest/oldest one is starting to show the signs of opening. Maybe another week, maybe less before it opens.

I was just happy to see that the plant took well to a little TLC. It seems real happy in the humidity controlled orchid/tomato/daisy/cabbage plant enclosure I built.

[RosieC]

Great news Chas. Be sure to post pics when it flowers.

[Pilot]

Chas post a photo now!!! I want to see the blooms, too-- but I want to see the whole plant in general. Do it! Besides...you'll have time on your hands when you get 20 inches of snow tomorrow. Man that would bite!

[ChasWG]

No snow!!! I want to plant my Vanderwolfe Pine tomorrow! Maybe I'll do it tonight.

The blooms on the stuartiana haven't popped yet, real soon though. The buds are starting to turn a yellowish-green, white color of the blooms from the very light green. Real soon!

[Pilot]

Reputedly related to P schilleriana, this species also shows strikingly handsome, silvery patterned foliage that can reach about 18 in. A mature plant can have up to 100 white, slightly fragrant, long-lasting flowers with purple-maroon markings on branched spikes. The inflorescence can reach about 24 inches tall. Contributions to hybrids-- This species contributes its floriferousness, branching, spotting, flower form and spacing, strikingly patterned lip, and long inflorescences and has been a popular parent in the production of multifloral phals. Taken from Moth Orchids, The Complete Guide to Phalaenopsis by Steven A Frownie

Thought you might like this info, Chas. Have fun with your species! I have P schilleriana and it has gorgeous leaves. No flowers yet, though.