Blue phalaenopsis- what's your take on it?

[Tabbyblack13]

My dad seeing one of the dyed blue orchids bought one for my mom. He didn't relize at the time they were dyed that way. I saw it on the last vacation I took up there and I thought th dye job was pretty neat. The older flowers were the dark blue but the newer ones were a lighter shade.

The actual orchid looks like a phal sogo yukidian v3 white. I told my mom that it is a healthy orchid that is very hearty. She was upset that it wasn't a true blue orchid but I doubt she minds having a white orchid either.

[Bobits]

Here is one of the blooms in the phalanopsis I tried to dye blue using blue food coloring ... Laughing at myself... Apparently a bit more dye was in order but overall, the method worked!

[Orchid Whisperer]

I think I've read that the dye is injected into the roots (but don't know for sure).

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

I think I've read that the dye is injected into the roots (but don't know for sure).

No, it is injected into the flower spike.

[Bobits]

I injected into the spike and the dye made it to the first flower (not the subsequent) but only in trace amounts. Looks like a drew some pale blue lines on the flower. I am not sure how visible they are in my photo...

[Paul]

Personally, I find them downright "fugly"-- but I do realize my tastes are not necessarily the same as those of the next bloke (or "blokett" ). My biggest issue with them is when it is not made clear to the buyer that the flowers have been dyed and future blooms will be white. Such deceit is unforgivable. (Good to hear that at least a few of the vendors here or there are "coming clean" on this.). If someone buys it knowing the truth, then well and good.

Originally Posted by Bobits

I tried to dye blue using blue food coloring ... Laughing at myself... Apparently a bit more dye was in order but overall, the method worked.

Not so much a matter of quantity, I suspect, but rather of quality. The dye used in the industry is a compound containing silver, from what I remember.

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

I was told it was fail, not fah. I have a hard time with the pronunciation of orchid names, because I haven't attended an OS meeting yet and most of my research has been on the internet! We should do a thread on that too!

That won't necessarily clear things up in all cases. The majority of orchid folks I know insist on mispronouncing the word "keiki", for instance. Drives me right up the metaphorical "wall"! (The correct ... and only correct pronunciation, btw, for those interested is "KAY-kee".)

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

I have heard it various ways, but looking up Latin pronunciation, your "fal-eh-NOP-sis" seems close to the mark, the 'a' in Phal pronounced like the 'a' in father

And the "ae" should be pronounced like a long "I" ... based on the Latin I had in high school and most (?all?) of the English/American words ending in "ae".