Do all your phals spike at the same time?

[estación seca]

Here in metro Phoenix people like the amabilis type Phal hybrids to bloom as early in the season as possible, avoiding hot weather. Many people put them outside in late fall, when nights begin to cool. This is typically mid to late October. They may have nights into the upper 50s F / 12-14C during this season, but subsequent days are always well into the 80s F / 26-31C. The warm days following mitigate damage from the cooler nights. We bring them in when days begin cooling, usually sometime around Thankgsgiving to early December.

The summer-blooming, more jungle-type plants we keep as warm as we can in the winter. They flower in spring through summer independent of cooling.

[greenpassion]

I have a question regarding Phal Amabilis. I recently acquired one (supposedly) from a seller on ebay. I say supposedly because the photo of the flowers don't match what I've seen on other orchid web sites. Anyway, it's currently in spike (2) and is budding. Six of my other phals started spiking in December, and are just now starting to show signs of 'going by'. If this 'amabilis' will most likely bloom in the next 2 mths or so, I'm guessing it's a summer bloomer, right? And if so, when my temps drop thru winter, (I live in Vermont) will this phal be screwed up by the change? Now I wonder if this question makes any sense...

[bil]

Mine pretty well spike all at the same time.

[mascia]

Two weeks later and I have about 10 in spike right now, but it seems each week one or two decide they want to spike as well.

Most of these have been outside only for 6 to 9 months, and some were definitely off season last year when I bought them, so I think they are still adjusting.

Yesterday I went to a friend's house where there are 6 pals with at least 10 leaves, that have been there for years, and they all have 2 spikes each. I noticed this on several different places as well.

Once they are well established apparently will bloom at the same time, at least here where I live.

[mascia]

I did a little experiment where I moved all my indoor phals outside, and left them there for three weeks or so. After that period every single one had at least one spike starting to grow. There were 8 in total, including 2 seedlings that are blooming for the first time this year.

My conclusion is: when they are grown at constant temperatures and suddenly experience a significant drop, they will spike if the plant is healthy.

As for the ones growing outside, three months have passed since my original post and today I noticed 2 new spikes that have just started growing, while some are in full bloom already.

This is probably the result of me buying many of them off season together with them being subject to a lot more temperature fluctuations (cold days followed by warm days, and so on) and also some variability between the hybrids with some being earlier than others.

Either way, their flowers last so long that by mid-september all of them will be in bloom at the same time

[jkofferdahl]

I think that this thread proves my point. Bil's Phals seem to all bloom together. Others report similar patterns, while others still report very different patterns. What this says is that Phals can't be expected to follow the rules.

A lot of my hybrids bloom in the late winter/early Spring. My species, though, follow seasons a bit more closely. The schillerianas and stuartianas have always bloomed in the late winter. My equestrii spike in late Spring and bloom in Summer, though once they get started there's just no telling how long they'll keep a spike going - I have one, a peloric equestris, which has a spike that's continually bloomed for 2 years and is still going. Sanderiana seems to set a spike in early- to mid-Spring, blooming in early Summer. Most of my cornu-cervis want to wait until it's hot our, setting spikes (which again last for years, but can go dormant) in late Spring and blooming through the Summer. I've not yet gotten a handle on the cycle of my various miniatures, but thailandica bloomed in the winter, hainanensis and deliciosa are blooming now, fimbriata bloomed in Spring but has viable spikes on it still.

You can certainly change when a Phal blooms, even a seasonal species. If you vary the light so that it thinks Spring is Fall and Winter is Summer, vary the temps slightly (it honestly is a minor factor in blooming a Phalaenopsis, despite what everyone tells you), and vary fertilization a bit you will trick the plant. I personally prefer the seasonal variance, though, so that I can count on having blooming phals all year.

[Dollythehun]

Ditto John. I have Equestris blooming and spiking now. Hybrids blooming, finishing blooming, and starting to spike. They have a mind of their own imho.