My friends think I'm nuts - Orchid Board

Dendy83 · #1 04-14-2013, 01:23 PM

Well I have been reading and reading all the back posts on this board and must say that I have learned ALOT. Part of me wanted to keep trying to fix my dendrobium who is just not happy right now. But I have since learned that sometimes you do need to try a different type of orchid to see what will thrive for you. Also, you need to buy a new one with gorgeous blooms to get you through :-)

So I went to a Home Depot and got a gorgeous NoID phal that is yellow with purple blooms and it has been THRIVING! Ok, so now that I'm not as discouraged thinking I'm an orchid killer, I went to an orchid show "just to look". Nope, I came home with another phal, but it's a species (at least I think so)! I'm so excited! It's a phal hakalau ruler x blanca grande. I was shocked at the condition of the roots from a grower, but he's all cleaned up now and I'm sure the blooms will drop because of the shock of it all. We'll see though. Either way, my friends think I'm nuts!

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IMG_8881 by Blehri, on Flickr[/IMG]

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IMG_8879 by Blehri, on Flickr[/IMG]

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IMG_8884 by Blehri, on Flickr[/IMG]

billc · #2 04-14-2013, 01:40 PM

Well... You're in good company here, we're all nuts.

Just don't let any outsiders know how much time and energy(and $$$) you spend on your plants, next thing you know the people in grey will be taking you away.

Bill

tucker85 · #3 04-14-2013, 01:44 PM

Welcome to Orchid Board! It's a shame that an orchid vendor would sell a phal with roots in that condition. But with a little TLC it should recover. Good luck.

james mickelso · #4 04-14-2013, 01:50 PM

Enjoy the blooms while they last. I would take this back to the grower and get my money back. This is terrible to sell something in this shape. Sorry. Leaving the flowers on this will surely kill it but looking at the roots it doesn't matter. So enjoy the flowers while they last. And yes you are in good company. We're all nuts here and enjoy every minute of our insanety(-;

sweetjblue · #5 04-14-2013, 01:57 PM

Lovely blooms! Those roots are horrible!! It does look like it has enough good roots to survive.
It's not a species but a hybrid. If your interested in learning more on species here are 2 very good sites for further reading.

traduction anglais

Phalaenopsis Orchids : species and primary hybrids

Good luck with its recovery!!

Judi

Dendy83 · #6 04-14-2013, 02:00 PM

I agree, I was shocked when I pulled it out to decide if I should wait for the blooms to fall off to repot or not. It's hard to see them, but it does have about 4 roots that are good, but I noticed that they were the surface roots, the ones not completely submersed in sphagnum. SO I will more than likely be misting lightly every day to make sure those surface roots are getting water. With the roots like that it makes me not want to go back, but I definitely have an aversion to buying online...so we'll see. I think 3 orchids is enough for now :-)

james mickelso · #7 04-14-2013, 02:04 PM

Ah...I see them now. Didn't have my glasses on. Yes this will do nicely. Those surface roots will get nice and plump when watered for awhile under the media. Be careful not to overwater this. Read the thread at the top about phal abuse and you'll do fine. Love the color of the bloom.

Dendy83 · #8 04-14-2013, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetjblue

Lovely blooms! Those roots are horrible!! It does look like it has enough good roots to survive.
It's not a species but a hybrid. If your interested in learning more on species here are 2 very good sites for further reading.

traduction anglais

Phalaenopsis Orchids : species and primary hybrids

Good luck with its recovery!!

Judi

Thanks for this Judi! These orchids have a lot to teach me, that's for sure. I tried to do a lot of research before going to the show, but when I got there I was overwhelmed and had no idea which was species and which was not!

James, thanks for the tip. I've been reading posts going back to January but I think I'll take a look at the Phal sticky since now I have two :-P

PaphMadMan · #9 04-14-2013, 02:17 PM

The plant you show, and the name you give (Phal Hakalau Ruler x Phal Blanca Grande) both make it very clear your plant is a hybrid, not a species. I'm not sure what would have given you that impression.

It looks basically healthy, despite the poor roots. If you cleaned it up and repotted it properly it should thrive if you give it good care, and you might not even lose the flowers. You will certainly get some advice to cut the spike, but this plant is no where near bad enough condition to be worried about losing it. Enjoy them as long as they last.

Dendy83 · #10 04-14-2013, 02:30 PM

Thanks for the support Paphmadman! Like I said I am new to orchids, especially going to an actual orchid show and not Home Cheapo lol. My reasoning was since they knew what the two "parents" were then that separates it from it being a NoID. I haven't had a chance to read the links Judi posted yet, but I will certainly do that.

I sterlized my scissors and cut off the black ones, I feel like I didn't need to cinnamonize those ones because they were dead anyways. I did cut off the yellowing ones because they were mushy inside, and I did cinnamonize those because they were attached to green roots. Good thing he has a support stick, because there would be nothing holding this poor guy in the bark if it wasn't for the stick.

Who names their orchids btw? Mine is aptly named Freckles, and I call it a "he" LOL