Need culture advice for Phal pulchra
 

So I've had a Phal pulchra for about 4 years, maybe more. And it has never every bloomed! Every year it sends out a ridiculously long spike, but instead of blooms I get an avalanche of keikis. (so if anyone in Europe wants a keiki...)

Up until a year ago it was growing in an east facing window where it got sun from sunrise to 1pm, and artificial light in the winter. The light was strong enough to burn some of my other Phals, and bloom my Catt. I moved last June, and now it sits near a south facing window, getting bright light and a couple hours of sun. Still no blooms :( All my other Phals bloom every year....

Any tips???

:bump:

maybe it will bloom off the keikis, seems to have for them :) :-


http://www.orchidboard.com/community...l-pulchra.html


oops see you commented on that thread

As I know by some frineds who can make pulchra flower, it needs very big temps gap between night and day to induce flowering, something like 10-12°C

we had a discussion about the vagaries of orchid blooming at our Society meeting. Turns out plenty of people experience similar things - like siblings, one blooms and the other doesn't. Phals growing in the same conditions - some bloom some don't. Some attract all the bugs, others don't. Some take forever to grow, others don't.

The conclusion was - toss the offenders ! Life is too short.

And a tip - if you are going to buy a plant, always buy one in bloom. Firstly so you can see if you do really like the blooms, as not all hybrids if seed grown look the same - and secondly, make sure leaf and root growth is good. ( nowadays some species also are different-looking )

I know that's not what you want to hear......:(

I've actually had it 6 years (just checked my logs). I have read that as far as Phals go, this one can be tricky to get to bloom, and if conditions aren't right, the spikes produce spikes instead of blooms. But as you say, it could also be a dud plant.

As I have space for it I'd like to try one more time to get blooms before giving it away/trashing it. I'm thinking of pushing the light levels as far as it can tolerate, and try the temp difference mentioned above (i.e. stick it outside until fall)

Since the link above showed my Phal pulchra I thought I would show an up date. This pic was taken 6-15-10. Because it is a keiki machine it has more than what is pictured with some of them hanging a foot below the totem with roots 6-8" down.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1179/...ba2e8303e3.jpgPhal pulchra LUR_5219 by kentucky4, on Flickr

This plant does get quite a bit of sun until about 1 p.m. and the lowest temp it is exposed to is 60 degrees in the winter and never above 90 in the summer.

I hope you can get it to bloom this year.

Brooke

I'm sure you'd be able to sell some keikis or the plant on ebay if you cant get it to bloom.

Holy crapper Brooke that is an amazing plant. Camille I hope you can get your to bloom.

Oh wow! What an amazing looking plant!!! I'm going to repot it this evening, and place it in a hangpot by the window and get it used to high light. In June I'll stick it outside...