Bloomed out NOID phalasenopsis

[NYCorchidman]

I did something I thought I would never do: buying out of bloom NOID orchid at full price! sounds like crazy, I know! lol

I was visiting a friend at a different neighborhood last week. I stopped by a grocery store and saw this phal with four flowers left. The plant size was between the standard large and miniature with two VERY tall branching spikes. I could imagine how amazing it would have been when it was in full bloom.
I had to have it. but not at full price.

I talked to the store manager about possible discount. Unfortunately, he said no because they can still take the bloomed out orchids back to the grower for full refund. After much hesitation, I bought the plant at full price.
On the way home, I accidently dropped it, but luckly, not too much damage. the decorative pot cracked and chipped off (which I glued together at home) and two flowers got knocked off.
I was so excited that I started taking pictures on the street.

After close examination, I found FOUR mealy bugs hiding between flower petals and sepals. I immediately cut off the whole thing! first time seeing these cottonly bugs in real life. they had weird smell too.

I took the plant out of the pot and the roots were fine, but it had sphagnum moss very very tightly packed in, so I removed them all and repotted in a more open mix.
trimmed off one twisted leaf, cut off spikes in half.

The main thing I am worried about the plant is the drastic temperature change from the store to my apartment. it had been in the store for quite some time (judging by pretty much all the flowers gone) in very low temperature. I was wearing long sleeves but got major goose bumps. It was COLD!!!
My apartment is hot, reaching up to 80, 90 during the day!

Almost one week has passed. The plant seems to be doing fine except bottom leaves are turning slightly yellowish. What's interesting is that the trimmed spike is showing some sign of making more flowers! all the nodes are swelling up in just one week.
Maybe it is thinking, wow~ the winter is finally over, let's make some blooms!

[Pilot]

Mealies are so dang gross aren't they? Keep vigilant as they will likely reappear though the stuff you've done to the plant will limit their ability to come back.

A NOID is fine, if you like it then that is all that matters. I have several NOID from. My early collecting and I retain them because in the end they're impressive looking plants! I have one that I call my monster phal and nearly lost it but it grew four spike at it's best and those branched. It had maybe 150 blooms on it, I kid you not! So why wouldn't I keep it? I have another purple one that has booms so large you'd think I give it steroids. So no, NOIDs are just fine if you like what you have.

Based on what you've described and shown in the pics I wouldn't be surprised if it springs forth a new branch and blooms.

[NYCorchidman]

I agree, Ryan. It's nice to have a name, but NOID doesn't bother me much. Like you, I buy things based on looks. If I like it, I get it. That simple!

Now, I also took the potential of this plant shown in the second picture.

By the way, I do not know much about mealy bugs.
Do they lay eggs in the potting mix or stay where the adults are around? I did cut off the flower where the bugs were and the whole spike, so do you think I'm safe?

Wow~ what's your growing condition like for your phals? sounds very impressive!!!

[NYCorchidman]

The braches on the spikes were facing in all direction and too large over all, so I did trim off all the branches leaving two tall bare spikes.

This plant started to make some new roots last month, which was a good sign.
then just about two weeks ago, one of the two spikes began to develop a new brach.
It's amazing how fast it's been growing.
This picture is about five days old, but the little branch is now twice as long already!

I see some more sleeping eyes are about to sprout, or it's just my wish. lol

[NYCorchidman]

I sure was excited about the side spike off the main spike when it first appeared finally.
I didn't expect much, maybe a couple of blooms on that.
Well, the side spike grew and grew, and I see at least 6 buds with potential signs of branching at two of the lower nodes.
I am so glad!

I used three pictures to show the whole thing because the main spike, even after being trimmed off some, is quite tall by itself, yet the new spike off that main spike is also quite long and make a huge U turn toward the window, so there.