I just purchased a phalaenopsis schilleriana with 2 keikis. Help!

[camille1585]

If the plant in the photos is what you are getting, it looks like a happy, healthy plant(s).

I do wonder if those are keikis though, at least one looks to be growing too far from the largest plant to be basal growths. This might actually be multiple plants in one pot, perhaps a compot which was never separated.

If they are indeed keikis, basal growths will not drain the main plant's energy. They may share a vascular system with the mother, but they have roots in the pot and are capable of taking up their own water and nutrients. Aerial keikis (on stems) are the ones more likely to drain the mother, but often happens if the mother plant's root system is not healthy/large enough to support all the growth. A healthy, well grown Phal can keep multiple keikis without negative effects.

The plant in the photos looks healthy, and the brown looking leaf edge is rather normal for the species.


When you recieve it, you can repot if you want, all depends on the state of the current substrate. If there are indeed separate plants in the pot, they can be potted individually if you wish.

As to care, you can treat it like any other hybrid Phals you may have, this is a rather easy species.

I don't know what you mean by winter fertilizer since that doesn't exist. Phals can be fertilized with the same fert and dosage year round, the only thing that changes is how often you water, based on the temperature. I'm not sure why you want to water it with pure water for a month?