I bought this two weeks ago, and while it wasn't in the best shape I must admit I was intrigued! Today it finally bloomed so hoping for a better chance at an ID.... Is this a doritaenopsis or a seriously troubled mini phal? It is in a somewhat more like dirt mixture and it did come from a reputable nursery (probably should have asked).... Thoughts? Advice? Anything is welcome!
Doritis is now lumped with Phalaenopsis, so they're all Phalanopsis. The misture that looks like dirt is actually probably a peat mixture. Like sphagnum, it works well in the hands of experts who tightly control watering conditions in a nursery. Not so much for the hobbyist (likely to stay too wet) Repot into whatever medium you are familiar with. It is OK to repot Phals while in bloom (they don't seem to care)
Ok, just wasn't sure, the multitude of growths is what initially threw me.... I have a phal with a keiki, but it has one, not four hehe... And yes I wasn't worried about repotting, just wanted to be sure to repot into an appropriate medium, time to get this baby healthy again! Thank you!!
The tendency to make keikis, and to branch, is at least in part a function of the ancestry of the hybrid - and there is no way to know what that might be on a NOID. Mini-phals often have Phal. equestris in their background, which would lead to both branching and keikis.
This isn't a universal rule but usually Doritis (now Phalaenopsis) is hybridized with Phalaenopsis to confer bright red/pink colors, so the chances that this is a Dtps. is pretty low. There is probably P. equestris in the background.