Noid - Orchid Board

TOMD · #1 02-24-2007, 03:29 PM

Hi all. i know that is it maybe hard it id withow a bloom. because it has never bloomed.Have had it for at least 4 years. i got it at lowes a long time ago. it put up two new plants and thats all.they grew and i repotted them now i have three of them. they seem to be different than my other Phals which are all blooming.hope you can tell by the pic it has small brown dots on the leaves.it looks really healthy would appreciate some info . Thanks in advance TOMD

Ross · #2 02-24-2007, 06:18 PM

I'm going to gues Phalenopsis NOID. But who knows?

TOMD · #3 02-25-2007, 11:09 AM

I know it is a phal noid, just thought some one could id the type.TOMD

mayres · #4 02-26-2007, 01:12 AM

What do you mean by "type". I just noted on another thread that you will never be able to possitively identify a phal - even with pics of the flowers - because there are far too many nearly identical plants. At best you will be able, once it blooms, to say it is "like" phal "xxx". But you can still continue to enjoy your noid phal nonetheless. mike

TOMD · #5 02-26-2007, 10:39 AM

I just thought, by the leaf color and the small brown specks on the leaves that maybe some one had one sort of like it sorry.TOMD

mayres · #6 02-26-2007, 02:04 PM

Hey! Nothing to be "sorry about"! We're all trying to learn about these wonderful plants together. Post another pic once it flowers and maybe you will get lucky and have a unique one? All the rest flower but not this one eh? Hmmm. When you say you have more plants from the original one - does that mean it is sending up basal keikis? Where do you live and what kind of growing conditions? It should be blooming every year if it is getting what it likes. Some of the species phals require warmer conditions.

Ross · #7 02-26-2007, 02:42 PM

As I recall, the flecked leaves are the "warmer" growing Phals while the solid green leaves are the "cooler" growing Phals. Having said that, if this plant is in the house on a window sill, I don't think the warmer-cooler has much meaning. I've grown primarily the cooler Phals because my growing conditions can get below 60 degrees F. overnight in winter. Not sure upper limit is much different between types. Maybe someone with much deeper understanding will chime in.

On Keikis, I'm blooming one right now that survived the hail storm on my deck last summer and it was a "keiki" (actually the center of the parent had become damaged somehow - it was that way when it was purchased - and it sent up a new plant) This keiki is not true to the parent (so far) with small blossoms and really dark maroon instead of pink with stripes. I am really confused and if it doesn't do better on second bloom, it time for the trash.

cneos · #8 02-26-2007, 04:54 PM

Two of the most famous (distinctly) mottled-leaf phalaenopsis species are schilleriana (pink flowers) and stuartiana (white flowers) discovered in the early 1800's. Both have been hybrized extensively. It is POSSIBLE that your plant has one or both of these species in its background. There are some phalaenopsis that are genetically pre-disposed to produce keikis galore but no flowers. Even when/if it flowers, a positive id is next to impossible without DNA testing.
Someday you may be surprised and get a NOID flower. In the meantime, these phals look nice as foliage plants.

TOMD · #9 02-26-2007, 04:56 PM

Hi' again yes it put up 2 basal keiki's. and as i said i have 3 now. did not know about the warm and cold. i live in SC and i grow my Orchids in my greenhouse.and the temp gets down to the low 60's some time.thanks for the info.maybe i will get a bloom hope so.TOMD

cneos · #10 02-26-2007, 06:03 PM

I noticed a white tag in your plant. Did it come with the plant when you got it? Sometimes plants are labelled by their hybridizing date or flask number. If there is a commercial name on the tag, you can contact the hybridizer or distributor and get the name of the cross with this info.
And Ross, is your keiki survivor still on the host plant? You mention the host was damaged when you got it. Color and size differences may be cultural - one long-time phal specialist says that temps below 60 slow flower production down and reduce flower size on phals. If you can do it without too much expense, try keeping night-time temps around 65. You'll notice a difference.