Doritis pulcherrima var. coerulea

[MattWoelfsen]

You might have a community pot. Growers often group three to five seedlings together to encourage more even growing and to conserve space. When these "compots" plants get larger, near bloom size, then they are divided into their own pots.

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

You might have a community pot. Growers often group three to five seedlings together to encourage more even growing and to conserve space. When these "compots" plants get larger, near bloom size, then they are divided into their own pots.

You may be right. I didn't even think of that possibility--although they're growing kind of in an odd, linear pattern for a community pot. Still, it's possible. I'll have to diplomatically ask my friend if he was just too lazy to remember to separate a bunch of seedlings years ago. I'm still trying to whine loudly enough so that he parts with one of his alba-flowered colonies of this species. So maybe I'll wait until I've succeeded before I start poking around with questions regarding his growing methods. :-)

[MattWoelfsen]

Wow, if you get an alba, those plants are in the Neofinetia price range.

[gnathaniel]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

To gnathaniel, I did not know this Phalaenopsis had a community culture, like you referred to Neofinetia. I know that Doritis are a smaller plant, but they are grown like standard Phalaenopsis. The plant that I own that is finishing its blooms produced a beautiful spike of ten flowers, but it had no other keiki growing with it. The other Doritis I own is also a single plant, producing a lot of leaves and roots, but no spike, no basal keiki.

It seems pretty common for pulcherrima to make multi-growth clumps (maybe uncommon not to?). In-situ photos online definitely show this, though it's quite possible some or all of those are multi-clone colonies.

The two I've grown to clump point started as single or double growths that initially got taller and rootier, then after a year or two started growing multiple 'pups' all around, many of which seem too far away to have come directly from the stem. I mostly grow my pulcherrimas 'hard': very bright with cool/dry winters and minimal fertilizer, all of which they take well whether or not it's optimal.

In my limited experience with hybrid Phals, those with significant pulcherrima ancestry also often manifest this trait to greater or lesser degree, sometimes only pupping when they're stressed but occasionally being prolific clumpers. I've yet to see one doing the root trick, though.

[MattWoelfsen]

Thanks for the explanation, gnathaniel and your cultural observations. I knew this plant was as easy to grow as my Neofinetia. I've been growing both plants like Neofinetia actually like Sederia japonica which is to say the same thing.

[Tindomul]

Very nice blues! I love it. Good luck with it.

[RosieC]

Really pretty!