Why only one or two flowers on phal spike?

[Daenerys]

Something I've been wondering, from perusing this subforum. It seems like the noid phals from grocery stores always have these huge displays of 6+ blooms, whereas many of the named hybrid or species phals that people post on here have one or at most 3 flowers open at any one time.

Why is that? Are the species and primary hybrids less prolific, or is it just that most of the pics on here are of young plants that haven't reached their full potential?

[The Mutant]

To be honest, I really shouldn't answer your question since I'm a newbie, but I just wanted to say that I don't share your... opinion? view? interpretation? I've no idea which word to use. I hope you understand what I mean.

I have seen photos of both hybrids and species and the Phal with the most flowers I've seen is a schilleriana. I think the second most bloom-crazy one is a stuartiana.

The one with the most flowers in my flat is my primary hybrid Phal 'Philadelphia' (schilleriana x stuartiana) - my Noids can't even compete with it.

I don't have enough experience to be able to answer your speculations satisfactorily, but I hope someone else will. It's an interesting question after all.

[Ray]

Some of it is genetics: some species naturally tend to carry more blossoms than others. That, in turn, affects the hybrids derived from them.

Some is culture: given the right overall conditions and treatment, a plant is likely to more closely live up to its genetic potential, and carry more blossoms.

The "NOIDS" in the stores come from huge nurseries with excellent overall culture; most of the stuff we post here are more likely to be windowsill grown, or the like.

[Daenerys]

Hi Mutant, perhaps I should do some photosleuthing for examples. Definitely not denying the existance or significance of showy named hybrid phals with tons of flowers.

Just wondering what's the story behind (lovely) blooms that look like this:
[edit: source is cornu-cervi chattaladae

[edit: source is Phalaenopsis maculata var. flava

[edit: source is Phal. Tzu Chiang Christina 'Fuller' AM/AOS

[edit: source is http://www.orchidboard.com/community...-phal-p3.html]


Does that help?

[edited to add the links where the pics came from, because it's good to give credit where credit is due.]

[camille1585]

The pics you show (other than the 3rd one), are all species, and a lot of species just naturally don't have many blooms open at one time. Some types tend to produce buds sequentially, so you never have more than 1-2 open at a time (like Phal violacea). But on the other hand there are also very prolific blooming species, like Phal schilleriana, stuartiana, amabilis, etc.

As for the 3rd pic, it's not showing the spike in whole, but it looks like the blooms are coming off a side spike, so it's normal to have a lower flower count.

The other thing is that the big supermarket Noids have been bred specifically for high flower count, among other traits. As for the named hybrids, there are plenty with lots of blooms, but it also highly depends on parentage! If a hybrid has lots of sequentially blooming species in its lineage, then don't expect full sprays of blooms.

Then like Ray mentions, culture has a lot to do with it, we often can't get the same flower counts as the commercial growers with the super greenhouses.

[The Mutant]

Definitely out of my league to answer that question. But Ray gave a good explanation I think. Hmm. three of those photos are of those weird Phals, subgenus Polychilo (?) that I know absolutely nothing about... Could it be the case that that particularly subgenus belongs to the category Ray mentioned as being one of those that doesn't carry as many flowers? I'm just making a wild guess here. The info about subgenus is something I found at this forum, but unfortunately I can't remember where... This is the address to the web page anyway: Phalaenopsis taxonomy

---------- Post added at 03:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:38 PM ----------

Aah, there you go, here are the experts.

[tucker85]

Originally Posted by camille1585

The pics you show (other than the 3rd one), are all species, and a lot of species just naturally don't have many blooms open at one time. Some types tend to produce buds sequentially, so you never have more than 1-2 open at a time (like Phal violacea). But on the other hand there are also very prolific blooming species, like Phal schilleriana, stuartiana, amabilis, etc.

I completely agree with Camille. It all depends on what species you're talking about. The sequential bloomers like Bellina, cornu-cervi or violacea will bloom for months but they will usually only have a small number of flowers open at a time. While schilleriana or stuartiana have been known to bloom with up to 100 flowers at one time. Phal. amabilis, aphrodite and sanderiana are some of the more important species in the ancestry of the modern mass produced phals.. The modern hybrids probably have numbers of flowers that more closely resemble those species.

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:55 PM ----------

Daenerys, what is the name of the last one? The one that's yellow with red bars.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by tucker85

Daenerys, what is the name of the last one? The one that's yellow with red bars.

That one is a primary hybrid that Mervin bought at the last WOC, here's the thread where he shares it: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...c-phal-p3.html


Daenerys, if you post other people's photos, would you mind putting the link to their thread instead so we know the source? It's a more appropriate way of referring to other people's work.

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by Daenerys

Something I've been wondering, from perusing this subforum. It seems like the noid phals from grocery stores always have these huge displays of 6+ blooms, whereas many of the named hybrid or species phals that people post on here have one or at most 3 flowers open at any one time.

Why is that? Are the species and primary hybrids less prolific, or is it just that most of the pics on here are of young plants that haven't reached their full potential?

I had my phals and doritinopsis in a warmer growing area this winter. Although is gets a bit of a drop at night, the doritinopsis both only got 3 flowers but the phals got 6 or more. It made me wonder if maybe doritinopsis need a slightly colder night.

[Bud]

You have beautiful flowers...and some of them need to be showcased. Plenty of blooms will not showcase a specie...it takes away the focus...thats why mother nature gives us a cluster of ordinary blooms...and a couple or some of the detailed lovely flowers to really admire it