Phal 'Yin's Black Eagle'

[dbarron]

This cross has a lot of violacea in it (67%) and was my first violacea type. I acquired the tiny plant in 1 1/2 inch, maybe 2 inch, clear plastic packed with moss in September from Hausermann, it was advertised as requiring 1 or 2 years to reach blooming size.
However, when watering this morning, I saw the spike coming out of the base. I was totally in shock, because I expected it to not happen till summer anyway, even though I felt like the leaf span has doubled in the short time I've had it. The leaf span is about 6 inches from leaf tip to leaf tip.
I've just been watering it when the moss is almost dry, and only fertilized twice because I figured (from reading) it shouldn't be growing or doing much in the winter. Oh, it's on a south-facing windowsill in my kitchen, not a greenhouse. However, during winter, there's only a bit of direct sunlight coming in the south window, it will begin being more (and require moving the plant) as the spring comes on. For the last couple of weeks, I've been thinking it needs up-potting because the clear plastic container is bulging from roots now.
So, was I underexpecting, or is this normal?

[rbarata]

So, was I underexpecting, or is this normal?

Welll, speaking for myself, it seems I was overexpecting since it was great to see a photo but....no photo!

[dbarron]

Umm, I didn't think a growing opinion required a photo really. The plant and roots are quite healthy (trust me), it's not flowering because it thinks it's dying.
Considering I've read how finicky these species types are, I am just amazed at how nicely it's growing. Maybe my question is, were those posts I read over-stating difficulty?

[rbarata]

Umm, I didn't think a growing opinion required a photo really.

Yes, maybe not but I was expecting a photo.
Maybe some change in your conditions made it spike sooner. Last year meteo conditions were atypical here (and I think in general in the US too) and some of my orchids (different genera) are spiking sooner. My phals started spiking 2 weeks ago but that's the right time for my conditions.

[dbarron]

Here your grocery store variety phals are in bloom or nearly so. I have one in my colder laundry room that's flowering happily. Our spike initiation usually occurs (as I recall) in late summer to early fall, with spikes first becoming visible about late October.
But like I said I have no experience with these species, and I haven't really done phals for umm 15 years or so, but the one in flower now just jumped into my cart when I was ordering in September, it came with spike initiated (early).

[MrHappyRotter]

This is a hybrid, Phalaenopsis Yin's Black Eagle. Hybrid names shouldn't have quotes around them, as quotation marks are used to denote clonal names.

While various species can be tricky to grow and bloom, I wouldn't consider most of the species used in this cross to be particularly finicky. In fact, violacea and lueddemanniana tend to be good introductory species for beginners (and experts alike). Sure, they tend to be a bit more demanding compared to the complex standard Phal hybrids, but not that much more demanding for most hobbyist growers that they'd be finicky. Like anything else, if you give them what they want (heat, humidity, decent light, good airflow, etc) they'll do fine, and their demands are generally still well within the bounds of what can be provided in typical household conditions. If you're doing well with garden center hybrid Phals, chances are good that you'll also do well with these species.

All that aside, you're not dealing with a species. You've got a hybrid, and there's a phenomenon called hybrid vigor that often comes into play. Basically, hybridization tends to induce vigor in the offspring. So, as a very broad, generalized statement, you can expect a hybrid like Phalaenopsis Yin's Black Eagle to be more forgiving and more vigorous than most/all of the species in its background.

None of this is meant to detract from your success, from the sounds of it you're doing quite well with your plant, perhaps better than most. So, if it's happy enough to fill its pot with roots and start a spike in such a short amount of time, clearly you're doing something very right with it.

As for the spike itself and the blooming estimates you see online: Near blooming size, blooming size, to bloom in 1 or 2 years -- these are all estimates to begin with. There will be outliers in nearly all cases, plants which bloom much sooner than the rest, and plants that take much longer than the rest of their siblings to bloom, even when grown in exactly the same conditions. Phalaenopsis quite often can bloom for the first time when they are still very young and immature. I've seen various Phalaenopsis in nurseries that bloom while still in their compot, mere months after deflasking. It might not be the norm, but it certainly happens. And for the vendors, it's generally in their best interest to provide conservative estimates, since they can't account for all the different variables that come into play, and they want to minimize the chances of having a disappointed customer.

I'll also add, with these sequential/semi-sequential specialty type Phals, it's also not unusual for spikes to start forming while the plants are very young, and then only produce 1 or 2 flowers (or none at all). I suppose that's one advantage to being a sequential bloomer, they don't have to commit to a whole spike of flowers and can bloom any time they've got the energy for a single flower. Just don't get too upset if the spike fails to produce any buds or if the buds/flowers abort. When plants are very young, it's hit or miss.

It does sound like you're doing a good job of growing this, and if you keep it up, in a year or two when it blooms again, you'll get a much better show!

[dbarron]

Well, since I wasn't expecting anything, it's clearly a bonus and a sign of happiness, as you point out.
I will have to see if I can remember to get some long sphagnum (since it seems to be a common media for these) and loosely pot it up into a 4 inch pot. I don't think I have any that are only three inch on hand.
Also, I'm clearly aware that it is not a straight species, as I initially stated that it was 67% violacea. However, with that much violacea and venosa, care will be similar to the requirements of the species, more than likely. Both being from the same part of the world as well.

I do thank you for making me aware that these low-yield sequentials make or may not actually develop a flower.

[Hien Le]

Hi, please share your secret for growing this orchid... Min/Max temperature, light, fertilizer. I just bought one with spike ...afraid to loose it !!! Much appreciated. Hien.

[dbarron]

That's just it...I just did the avg minimal stuff, except never lettting the moss get totally dry. I did push it as much with sunlight as I could without making the leaf any more than very slightly yellowish.
Unfortunately, I lost the first flower, it started coloring, then it went yellow and fell off Waiting on the second now.

[Hien Le]

Thank you so much. Please post picture when ready... 👏😀