Another Phal. bastianii

[eurytides]

Got this plant last year. First bloom for me today. There are a few more buds and 5 keiki on the plant.

Cheers!

[wintergirl]

That flower is lovely. I might have to look into this plant, thanks.

[eurytides]

It's not a common plant in collections and it's often mixed up with Phal mariae, which is closely related. There are also many hybrids of the two which are mislabeled as one or the other. But it puts out lots of flowers and like to send out keiki, so definitely a great plant to have. I got mine from Orchids Limited. It's sold out currently, but if you wait a while, they will probably have more for sale.

Also, like the luna moth in your profile pic.

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by eurytides

It's not a common plant in collections and it's often mixed up with Phal mariae, which is closely related. There are also many hybrids of the two which are mislabeled as one or the other. But it puts out lots of flowers and like to send out keiki, so definitely a great plant to have. I got mine from Orchids Limited. It's sold out currently, but if you wait a while, they will probably have more for sale.

Also, like the luna moth in your profile pic.

Thanks for the info, I will watch Orchids Limited for future purchase. Also thanks about the luna, they are a cool moth. The moth was sitting on my house that day. I am sort of a night owl, so I thought it was a good avatar for me.

[eurytides]

I've been wanting to see a luna moth in the wild my entire life, but never have. I know they exist in my area, but just never been as lucky as you.

Sometimes Orchids Limited will have orchids that don't advertise, so if you really want a bastianii, you could always call and ask. One time I called asking about Phal tetraspis. Even though it wasn't listed on their website, they said they could sell me a division from their stud plant! I have to say though that I was already buying 5 other plants from them, so that might have influenced their decision to help out with the tetraspis. If you search around, you might be able to find other dealers who carry bastianii.

[wintergirl]

I live out in the country with a lot of wildlife. I think the luna hides in the daytime, so I was surprised to see it. That is the only one I have seen too.

[WhiteRabbit]

Very nice!

[Dillon123]

stunning!! May I ask what pots you use for your plants?

[eurytides]

wintergirl: Yeah I live in the city so it's almost impossible to see the luna moths. They fly at night and only live for about a week as adults. Maybe one day I will find one!

whiterabbit: Thanks! I'll post more pictures as new flowers open. I'm torn about the keikis. They look good on the plant, but they're big enough I'm considering separating them.

dillon123: I'm really cheap! lol I'm recently out of school and don't have lots to spend. These are really cheap beer cups you see at parties. You can buy a couple dozen for a few bucks. The roots don't cling on to the sides so the plants are easy to repot and the plastic is soft and thin so you can easily make holes with scissors. I cut holes on the bottom of one up and put the orchid in there. Then I put that in a second cup. When I water, excess just drains into the second cup to prevent rot. It works pretty well for me.

[eurytides]

Here I've got a Phal violacea, one of my oldest plants (in spike as well). You can see the nice roots at the bottom. They really love the aeration.