Phal. hieroglyphica - Orchid Board

LauraN · #1 10-20-2007, 01:35 PM

I bought this little guy a year ago and it had 2 spikes with a couple of flowers on each one. I decided not to cut off the old spikes as they stayed green and looked healthy. This year it sprouted 3 more spikes and all 5 had buds. A fairly large flower for the size of the plant. This is in a very small clay pot.

cb977 · #2 10-20-2007, 01:37 PM

Very cool, Laura!
This one was on the final list in our last OB Project but didn't win...but it's now on my wish-list

michael_exler · #3 10-20-2007, 10:48 PM

Very nice job, and good call on the old spike.
You gotta love those Phals.

LauraN · #4 10-20-2007, 11:17 PM

Thanks Michael. I hate cutting spikes, unless they are brown and dead. Sometimes it comes back to bite me, but this time I lucked out...
I bought a mannii last year that had 3 spikes and the people that I bought it from said that it wasn't time for them to flower, so I should cut the spikes off, since they would just be keikis...I left them on and lo and behold, they all budded and flowered and 2 more spikes emerged...

khill · #5 10-21-2007, 06:28 AM

Love this one!

I bought it as a traveling companion with our Project 4 plant. Mine hasn't bloomed yet, but is growing a new leaf and new roots.

smweaver · #6 10-21-2007, 10:33 AM

very pretty flowers. i think the phalaenopsis species have a charm that the hybrids will never be able to truly overcome. more people should try species like this one. nice job, laura!

LauraN · #7 10-21-2007, 11:03 AM

I am a species freak. I love species. It is cool knowing that you are growing something that has been around almost forever.
They might not reward you as often as the hybrids, but this one has been in bloom for 2 months now and doesn't show signs of stopping yet.

smweaver · #8 10-21-2007, 11:29 AM

I agree completely, Laura. It's an interesting feeling to think that you're growing something that's been on the planet for a very long time, and was also grown by many people long before you got here. Kind of a nifty connection we have with both the planet's past and that of our own species. I will, however, politely opine that the species like this one are, in fact, much more rewarding and eye-catching than the hybrids. Large and well-grown hybrid Phalaenopsis plants can be found as decorations at just about every mall in America--as well as Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, ad nauseum. But finding a nicely grown species plant like yours is much more rare and, as a result, more commanding of our (well, okay, MY) respect and admiration. I have a tiny Phalaenopsis mariae that I bought last week. Still (I think) too small to flower. But I wouldn't trade it for one of the larger hybrids even if the hybrid was in full bloom right now. Nice to hear that you enjoy species too.

Steve