Doritis pulcherrima var. coerulea

[smweaver]

I just got this from a friend of mine, so I can't take any credit for the flowers. Hopefully it will grow and bloom as well for me as it has for him (and since he has several varieties and claims that they're all easy growers, I especially don't want to fail with it and prove him wrong). Supposedly this is a coerulea-colored form, but since we're both colorblind I have no idea whether this is true. Whatever the variety, the vibrant colors are attractive, as is the stubby little five-growth plant.

Steve

[reliablefool]

I can assure you that it appears fairly purple/blue. Really pretty plant. Don't believe I've ever seen this in anything besides pink or white.

[MattWoelfsen]

If I can see properly it looks like you have at least three plants in that one pot. Since they appear to be all the same size, I wonder if you would care to separate them? Regardless, you have a good and generous friend and a great plant. Congratulations! Thank you for including a picture of the plant along with the blooms.

[terracotta7]

Gorgeous color...and what a healthy plant! Thanks for sharing!

[SlipperGirl]

Very nice!

[TOMMYMIAMI]

This is very pretty, did not know these, gorgeous!

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

If I can see properly it looks like you have at least three plants in that one pot. Since they appear to be all the same size, I wonder if you would care to separate them? Regardless, you have a good and generous friend and a great plant. Congratulations! Thank you for including a picture of the plant along with the blooms.

There are five plants in the pot, Matt. They could easily be separated, as all appear to have their own root systems. If you're interested in one, I'd be happy to share one with you the next time it gets repotted (next spring, perhaps?). Just send me a PM if you'd like one.

Yeah, my pal's generous--although I did have to part with one of my Cattleya mossiaes in exchange, but that's fair (and the trade saved me some room).

Steve

[gnathaniel]

Very nice, Steve! There are a few different coerulea strains of pulcherrima, yours has great color. If you divide it try to leave at least 2-3 growths on each division, this species grows faster and blooms more prolifically as a multi-growth clump (like N falcata or a sympodial orchid). It's hard to tell for sure but the new growths on mine seem to spring from the roots, I've heard certain other species like P. schilleriana are also capable of this.

[MattWoelfsen]

Originally Posted by smweaver

There are five plants in the pot, Matt. They could easily be separated, as all appear to have their own root systems. If you're interested in one, I'd be happy to share one with you the next time it gets repotted (next spring, perhaps?). Just send me a PM if you'd like one.

Yeah, my pal's generous--although I did have to part with one of my Cattleya mossiaes in exchange, but that's fair (and the trade saved me some room).

Steve

Steve, you keep the good karma going by inviting me to your kind offer. I have two of these plants, one just finished blooming. That is why your beautiful picture caught my eye! However I will trade with you! Come Spring, I'll offer you a Neof. falcata Shutennou. I somehow have four of these plants. As you know Neofinetia are true space savers!

I totally skipped your description, and went directly to your pictures, LOL! Otherwise I would have known you had FIVE "stubby" plants.

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.

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by gnathaniel

If you divide it try to leave at least 2-3 growths on each division, this species grows faster and blooms more prolifically as a multi-growth clump. It's hard to tell for sure but the new growths on mine seem to spring from the roots, I've heard certain other species like P. schilleriana are also capable of this.

I'll keep most of them grouped together, as you suggest. I think they look more attractive when there are several in a little colony. Funny you should mention that the new growths might come from the roots. The five plants here don't appear to be attached by an extended rhizome, nor are any of them growing from the base of another. So perhaps they are growing from the roots (or at least not in a way that I can otherwise visually account for). They're just marching along like little soldiers. Strange--but also kind of cool if the roots are where the newer growths are coming from.