Why Dont Wild Phals get Crown Rot? (Phal violacea in Natural Pose)

[estación seca]

There are a few Phals that get cool temperatures in winter, and a few that are deciduous.

These are not much used in hybridizing the Phals sold in supermarkets. Most of these hybrid Phals are warm growing plants. The starry-flowered ones with lighter green leaves, that keep blooming for years from stalks, need even more warmth than the big pink/white ones.

I don't think I've ever seen somebody posting here with a problem because they kept their Phals too warm. We see people posting all the time with problems exacerbated by being too cool.

[YetAnotherOrchidNut]

Originally Posted by nemesis

Can you please define, "Slightly Chilly?" I thought they would be fine as long as they were at a minimum of 65F. Thank You.

FWIW My phals can and do go below 18c at night during winter, without great harm (except to the flowers if they are blooming, they dont like a chill breeze in my experience). There is a difference between air temperature and root zone temperature.

Some of my warm blooming phals are kept at a high root zone temperature with heating mats but experience down to 16 or less air temperature during the night as radiators do not keep accurate temperature. I have accidentally left windows open in my office overnight and seen min temps for the plants there at 10c, without apparent harm except that I felt guilty all day, and that included some plants that are definitely in the "warm" category like Den Nobiles.

I think the cold question is more about sustained cold than occasional cold. Just think, evaporative cooling can drop the temperature quite a few degrees if there is a wind and the plant is wet.

On the other hand the perfect recipe for mold and fungus infection is cold and wet.

---------- Post added at 06:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:05 AM ----------

Originally Posted by estación seca

Most of these hybrid Phals are warm growing plants.

I was under the impression that most grocery store phals have a strong amount of intermediate temperature genetics in them, as they are easier to care for and more resilient to being dry for longer periods of times. Eg, the classic white orchid.

Not that YOU need this, but i found the following from here_butnot super useful:

Phalaenopsis Genus Breakdown

Phalaenopsis Climate Spreadsheet

Summer vs Winter Blooming Phalaenopsis

[Roberta]

There's a difference between what a plant will tolerate and what is ideal for it. Phals, especially the ones in commercial trade, can typically manage fairly low house temperatures without damage. The comment about what happens in nature (crown rot isn't a problem) is a different story... the parent species of those Phals that we all buy live in an environment where it rains nearly every day, humidity is high, and the lowest temperatures are rarely below 72 deg F (22 or 23 deg C). And much warmer every day. The various rots that affect Phals tend to develop at those cooler home temperatures. (Few people keep their homes that warm at night in winter) So the Phals will tolerate home temps, that doesn't mean that they need it or particularly like it.

[nemesis]

Thank you for the information. Yet Another Orchid Nut, and Roberta. I have book marked those spots for easy reference!