Is Phal Bellina Hard To Grow?

[Cattleya17]

Hey charlie i jsut noticed looking at the photo that the ID tag in the pot looks just like normans orchids tags!! and then i saw the hybrid name and it one of the ones im seriously considering!!!!! can you show me more pics of it since we will probably have the same one! it would really help!!!! how big was it when you got it?? was it in bloom? if not how ling before it did bloom for you??

[Cookiemonster]

Originally Posted by Cattleya17

Hey charlie i jsut noticed looking at the photo that the ID tag in the pot looks just like normans orchids tags!! and then i saw the hybrid name and it one of the ones im seriously considering!!!!! can you show me more pics of it since we will probably have the same one! it would really help!!!! how big was it when you got it?? was it in bloom? if not how ling before it did bloom for you??

Word of Advise based on my experience with normans orchids-- it is hit or miss, and the worst thing is how tightly packed the sphag moss is! You will have to repot when you first get the plant and put it in some fresh clean sphag moss, and maybe some white packaging peanuts that wont break down at the bottom for air.
I would personally buy (P. bellina ' Jungle Gem' x P. bellina 'Pokan' AM/AOS)

I also found this one not cheap but beautiful regardless
Orchid Web: Phal. bellina

and Peter Lin who I consider a master of phals has these ones- he had one up on there for $28, possibly shoot him and email and see if he has any of those left or will be getting any shortly!
Big Leaf Orchids

[mehitabel]

Hi, Sam. I just wanted to comment on your question "What makes the Montclair so much more expensive".

In plants, it's the rarity that determines what the price of a plant would be. It's cloning that has made it possible to get wonderful phals at fairly low (ie $35) prices.

A few years ago Phal Perfection Is 'Chen', which has an FCC award was expensive and hard to find. Now it's been cloned, and I've seen it several places for app $25.

The Montclair is a highly selected variety of bellina, a very beautiful flower. So it will cost more until there are lots and lots of them around.

Also as was pointed out above, bellinas and hybrids grow very slowly, so a bigger plant would cost a little more than for other phals that grow faster.

About Big Leaf, recommended by someone as a source for bellina: I've bought a lot from Big Leaf, and he has wonderful plants. So by all means shop there. But be careful about buying smaller, cheaper plants there. Tho he offers some really nice size plants, some of his offerings are really small and hard to keep going.

Norman's are usually standard 4" pot "mature" size, or sometimes 3" when "nearly mature". Almost never honking big, but also never delicate and tiny.

Odom's offers bellina, and their phals are usually big for the $$.

[Neverend]

I've no idea how the climate is like over at your zone, but do note that bellina is a hot-growing tropical orchid, so do keep it at temperatures above 54 F, and keep humidity high (RH > 60 preferably) to ensure good blooming and growth. It is a very easy plant if you can provide such conditions, not very fussy with light as long as it's bright

Oh yes do buy a mature or near-blooming plant, seedlings can be a little more fussy!

[Cattleya17]

Okay i know that its been a while but i finally am going to purchase this plant! the people i am buying from are gonna ship it bareroot, what should i grow it in? Bark, lava or sphag? i already decided on a clear pot so i can observe the roots! please let me know

[cabnc]

I grow my phals in an off the shelf bark, pearlite, charcoal mix (better-gro brand / lowe's) and I add a layer of sphag on top in an attempt to maintain some humidity / moisture in the mix. I need that to get thru my inside the house dry winter conditions.

Charlie