Miniature phalaenopsis

[MCD]

Hi all,

I'm wondering if miniature phals are known to have particular needs, as compared to their larger counterparts. I'm talking about very small ones here, with largest leaves maybe 5cm (2in) long.

They do seem more picky about the potting media (I've settled on loosely packed sphagnum moss for now), but I'm wondering if they have special requirements to get them blooming, in terms of light, temperature, humidity, etc.

They get roughly the same conditions as all my other phals, which have no problem blooming regularly for me, but my minis have not bloomed in a few years. To be clear these are noid pink and white hybrids, not species.

Thanks

[Paphluvr]

When I think of mini Phals., smaller flowers come to mind not tiny plants. My mini's when mature and blooming size still have foliage that is about 6"L x 3"W.
Are you sure what you have are not just seedlings and not yet large enough to bloom? I haven't seen any mini Phals. bred down to the size you're talking about.

[MCD]

Originally Posted by Paphluvr

When I think of mini Phals., smaller flowers come to mind not tiny plants. My mini's when mature and blooming size still have foliage that is about 6"L x 3"W.
Are you sure what you have are not just seedlings and not yet large enough to bloom? I haven't seen any mini Phals. bred down to the size you're talking about.

One is a "seedling" (keiki from one of the other ones), and I don't expect that one to be blooming any time soon, but the other two were purchased while in bloom and spiked/bloomed at least once more afterwards. So they are definitely mature enough to bloom.

Wondering if perhaps my winter temps inside are a bit too cool for them, maybe 15C-22C, and fairly dry because of the heating.

[MCD]

Here are pictures of the orchids; the first two have bloomed in the past. I included a thumb in the pictures for scale.

The third one is a basal keiki from the second one, and surely needs more growth before it can bloom. It lost a couple of leaves recently, and I moved it to sphagnum. It is growing a new leaf and a new root, and actually has 4-5 good sized roots.

[estación seca]

I think 15-22C / 60-72 F is too cool a range for long-term success with Phals. A professional grower here in Phoenix aims to keep them always above 18C / 65 F. They tolerate 15C occasionally if considerably warmer the next day. Sphagnum moss provides evaporative cooling at the roots, making the problem worse. Consider setting them on a seedling heat mat. Other OB members have done this successfully.

[MCD]

Thanks, the heat mat sounds like a good suggestion. I should note that away from the window sills the range is probably more like 17-22C, but as you said the sphagnum itself might cause a few degrees drop. Also, that's the winter range (nov-march or so); I don't have AC so the summer temperatures are much warmer, probably 22-29C, often with humidity, being close to the ocean and having a fairly wet climate.

My larger phals do pretty well in that environment (in bark mix). They tend to produce a lot of new growth during those warm/humid months, with a few spiking/blooming, then I tend to get a lot of spikes and blooms starting in the fall through late winter, with more limited growth.