Questions for Advanced Members!
 

O.k., I'm a newbie, so this question might seem silly. :blushing: What does it mean when they say "species" orchid. Does it simply mean it is not a hybrid?

Also, I know my phal roots are supposed to have an outer coating of white, but they don't, they just look green. Why might that be, and is it bad?

Thanks,

Shelley :biggrin:

That's not a silly question at all Shelley. It's quite a good one. Species are plants like you would find growing in the wild. For example, you could travel to Borneo and see Phal. bellina growing in it's natural habitat there. It would look the same as the Phal. bellina you can buy from a greenhouse grown from seed, or cloned.

When Phal. roots are green that indicates that they are still moist and absorbing water. The root has a covering called velamen that acts as a sponge that feeds water to the wiry root in the center. The velamen is what turns green when wet and white when dry. Phal. roots should be allowed to dry out a little between waterings. As they dry they turn white, gray or brown depending on the age of the root. You might be keeping your plant a little too wet if the roots are green all the time.

In its simplest terms, yes - a species is a plant that is not a hybrid, but there are more specific (no pun intended) criteria related to interbreeding. Typically, i think of it as a naturally-occurring non-hybrid (there are naturally occurring hybrids, too).

The silvery or white outer layer of roots is velamen, which is really just dead cells that act as a sponge to soak up and hold water. When wet, they are transparent, so show the green root below.

Aha! Now I understand about "white roots." I am assuming that if I've never seen the white on my roots, I am not letting them dry out enough. Is it a general rule, or good idea, to go with the appearance of the roots in deciding if they need water?

Shelley

That's what I do, and no problems so far. I water when the roots are almost fully white

Here is an interesting article I found in a past thread by shakkai (Shannan) -
Evolution -- What is a Species and What is Not

i use clear pots so i can see the roots. when they ture almost all white, i water.

Don't worry Shelley if you think that the question might be silly, it's just part of learning. Have fun ;).

Been there, done that. Have many many tshirts :blushing:

Looks like you got what you need. I just wanted to repeat that THERE ARE NO SILLY QUESTIONS! This board is all about info exchange, so it would be silly to not ask.

As Royal said, there are no silly questions, but you might get a silly answer or two. We like to have a laugh now and then around here. Enjoy!

Kim