My hydros and what is this wierd orchid??
 

Hey!

I bought this orchid today, I just fell in love :blushing:
But look at it, I have never seen this kind before. It says on the tag that it is a Phaleonopsis. The flower is really sturdy, almost plastic like, wrinkly and hard.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...y/IMG_0471.jpg

Close up:

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...y/IMG_0475.jpg

and the leafs are also different, they are slim, hard as a rock and spikier.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...y/IMG_0473.jpg

Does anybody know what kind of Phal this is?

And these are the ones that I bought recently and put in hydros. But the wierd thing is that when I repotted them almost all roots were poor, like they had been broken. So I cut of all them off, along with the dead ones and I only sawed a few really strong healthy roots. I just hope they wont die on me! KLN will be in the mail in about 2 weeks.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/l...y/IMG_0477.jpg

The one with the dots was dying, they sold it to me for 1$, they were about to throw out. When I took it home all the roots had rotten, apart from maybe two or three short, but healthy roots which I kept ofcourse.

I guess only time can tell how my hydros will manage! I have many more, but they are in my boyfriends apartment. Will take pics during the weekend.

:waving

I must admit, I've never seen anything like this, but I'll bet others here have. I wanted to say, the others look healthy and happy (for now.) I wish you all the luck in making the conversion. Nice thing about Phals is they will start new roots just about anytime.

well, it indeed looks like a Phalaenopsis, a weird one I must admit, but Phalaenopsis.

just one comment regarding your S/H plants. The one with the pink spot/stripes (that looks like the hybrid 'Pink Panther'), I think the pot is too low and the water reservoir is too high! you would risk to have that plant rotted before you can imagine... I would move to a pot similar to the other round ones!

when making your own S/H pots, try to make the reservoir not higher than 3 cm (actually between 2 and 3 cm)

WOW Sandy that is unique looking indeed!!!! I wonder how it came to be this way :hmm hopefully someone at the OB will have more info

And as for your newbies in s/h they look beautiful, even the one that was dying, just a $1! I LOVE those bargains, I hope it recovers soon, keep us posted :)

PS. Wouldn't it be wise to cut the flower spikes of so your phal focuses on growing new roots? I mean wont little roots and new media + flowers make it harder on it? anyone? :scratchhead:

Not always the case if they're still in bloom don't bother cutting back the spikes. The flowers, themselves, will drop after the blooming period. Definitely like the first Phal. the others a pretty as well.

Hey!

Yep, it is too low I know for the dotted one, it's just temporary until I get the new pots that I ordered ;) I should get them next week. I just couldnt let it sit in that rotten bark that came with it :roll:
The other pots have a 4-5 cm reservoir, but I keep the roots above the water ofcourse, so that they can dig in any way they like.

I am such a newbie when it comes to orchids, Im trying to cover the basics the best I can, learning lots everyday :) About the cutting, hm.. I dont know if I dare to cut anything above root level, Im afraid that I wil damage it?
Im sorry to sound so ignorant, but what are the spikes? English is not my native language so Im not sure if the spikes refer to the stem, roots that are growing up from the pot, or the "sticks" that grow out from the stem and sometimes carry buds?
I would love if someone could post a pic or a link to some guide when it comes to cutting orchids.

That orchid is so cool! :D Im thinking of repotting it in semi hydro with LECA, like the other ones. I'll keep the borad posted on the others, I hope they wont suffer too much since I cut down so many roots, but they were horrible! All broken and really looking bad.

I may be way off on this, but the irregularity of the flower growth and the strange, twisted nature of the vegetation makes me think "virus".

Could be a virus. Could also be a very weird gene mutation. In either case, there's something not right with that orchid.

No offense, Sandy, but that's one orchid I would have passed up. Your other plants are nice, however. :)