Phaius/Nun Orchid Questions and Concerns

[Mr.Mclovin]

So I have been obsessed and collecting orchids for about 10 months now... With that being said, I have been having some issues with my Phaius orchid. It bloomed great this past winter, and has a very lively new growth coming up from the base on its one side. The problem that I am having is with the older portion of the plant, the tips keep drying out and turning brown...

I determined that the worst leaf on it is the oldest leaf and is dying back due to just being old, but all of the other growth on the old stem was very healthy and is also dying back.

I keep doing research, and I was reading that the issue might be salt/fertilizer burn and maybe just not enough water. So I repotted it last week to inspect the roots, which was very root bound but overall healthy. There was hardly any dead roots... besides the few new ones coming out, they all were very white.

Does anyone have any experience with this plant to give me any insight? I would greatly appreciate it! Attached is a current pic of my plant, I have tried to cut off the dead parts but they keep working its way down.

Thank you for your time,

Mr.McLovin

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

1. Pot's way too big. I highly recommend down potting to only the size of the root mass.

2. This thing likes calcium and magnesium. I recommend adding dolomite.

3. It's being grown too dark. Please provide a bit more light. It grows in what I'd call bright shade to moderately bright indirect light.

It could be suffering from root damage, remove from pot asap and check roots. Adjust pot size according to root mass. Large pots kill orchid roots quickly because it is the equivalent of over watering the orchid even if you're not over watering the orchid intentionally.

Good luck.

[Mr.Mclovin]

Thanks Philip! The roots seem pretty healthy from when I repotted it, and I just used this pot because it was what I had laying around. I will be sure to move it into a smaller container soon. It was just so root bound when I removed it, I felt like that might have been part of the problem.

I know orchids like to be a little root bound... but how do you know when a little become to much? And I was very surprised to find that there is no content around this orchid in the forum... lots of other orchids, but nothing really about Phaius!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Orchids in the genus Phaius hasn't caught on. Not very many people know that beyond Phaius tankervilleae there are a few other species of Phaius.

Aside from Phaius tankervilleae, not very many of them are readily available in the orchid trade as well.

So yeah, it is what it is.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Very true, never researched more in this category till i somehow found this nun orchid pic on the google, and than I just had to have it, ordered it the next day, and I have 2 now at my balcony. amazing one, hope for it to bloom soon:-)

[Mr.Mclovin]

Very interesting Philip! Is there any other species from this family that you might recommend?

Tommymiami, have you had any problems with yours? any tips that you could maybe share from your experiences with them?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Phaius flavus, (aka Phaius maculatus).

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Mr.Mclovin

Very interesting Philip! Is there any other species from this family that you might recommend?

Tommymiami, have you had any problems with yours? any tips that you could maybe share from your experiences with them?

They are in the balcony corner, not on the direct sun, getting some filtered afternoon sun every day. Keeping them moist at all time bud no standing in the water. They seem doing pretty well. Most of the big leaves was damaged during shipping, but I heard they loose old leaves anyway, and they both have 2 to 3 new growths at this time. As seller informed me, one of them is ONE TIME A YEAR blooming, with long stems, but the yellow one possessively blooms multiple times a year, so I hope to see it blooming still this year.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by TOMMYMIAMI

They are in the balcony corner, not on the direct sun, getting some filtered afternoon sun every day. Keeping them moist at all time bud no standing in the water. They seem doing pretty well. Most of the big leaves was damaged during shipping, but I heard they loose old leaves anyway, and they both have 2 to 3 new growths at this time. As seller informed me, one of them is ONE TIME A YEAR blooming, with long stems, but the yellow one possessively blooms multiple times a year, so I hope to see it blooming still this year.

Wait a second...

You got a "yellow Phaius"?

You probably got 2 completely different species. They sound like they are.

Phaius flavus is called "flavus" for a reason! It means yellow in Latin.

Does this look familiar to you?

IOSPE PHOTOS

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Wait a second...

You got a "yellow Phaius"?

You probably got 2 completely different species. They sound like they are.

Phaius flavus is called "flavus" for a reason! It means yellow in Latin.

Does this look familiar to you?

IOSPE PHOTOS

Hello King:-)
well, this is the thing, I just could not find any of nun orchids online, for at least a day (talking about massive search, and I do own personal shopper website, so I am good in FINDING anything anywhere! So, after frustrating 24 hours (I must say I have no patience also, and when I want something, I want it NOW:-)) I did find actually seller in Tampa Area, she has o website though, just a nursery. Order was done over the phone, and when I was ordering, she asked me what color I do want, she said she has yellow one, that has shorter spikes, but blooms multiple times a year, and than she has that purpleish color, that has long spikes and blooms once a year. She did not say there is difference in the species. Unfortunately, she did not even pack them so well, so they came little bit beaten, but they are doing great now. Other problem is, she didn't even have tags on any of them, so now I do not even know which one is yellow and which one is purple. Do you think I have than one of FLAVUS species? Interesting, I was just excited to have one that blooms multiple times, but once more, this is all info over the phone:-)))