Phalaenopsis Buyssoniaana

[Selmo]

I believe that this is the right name for for this, phal. buyssoniana. The tag that came with it ten years ago, calls it Doritis pulcherrima var. buyssoniana. This is the first time it has bloomed. It was fairly small when we got it and is not that large now. Only about 10-12" across but the spike is 30" tall with 1" flowers. It has given us 4 other plants and each has at least two more plants growing off the stem. It must grow as a clump in the wild. The leaves are quite pointed, a tannish green, and dark spotted.

Will try to get better photo, only the second flower to open and the first got attacked by slugs and looks sad (lower bloom). Will post photo of leaves/plant too.

[jkofferdahl]

Lovely flower, and you described both the plant and its growth habit quite well. Your bloom is a very exceptional one. My bet is that it would bloom more frequently if you let its keikis stay attached, and disturb the plant less.

[jcec1]

A ten year wait for blooms, that's dedication. Congratulations!

[katrina]

Can you post a pic of the leaves? These guys (especially the darker leaved pulcherrima) needs light similar to cattleya level in order to bloom well. The grow in open spaces, on rocks, in full sun...in their native habitat.

A friend gave me a bloom sized plant several years ago and the first couple of years I struggled with it...growing it like I did other phals. I did some research and discovered they grow dramatically different than most other phals and I changed what I was doing...and three years (+) later...I'm now getting beautiful blooms.


Edit - this might help too...
Here's a LINK that shows the plant in situ and the conditions in it's native habitat. I now grow it next to some of my catts. Also, I changed the medium to a much chunkier mix in clay pots. The mix is similar to what I use w/some of my catts. Mine has not been making any of the typical keikis these guys produce so I'm hoping that comes next.

Side note - during the rainy season, those plant roots are totally under water for an extended time.

[Pattywack]

Beautiful bloom after ten years, wow. Interesting Phal with the growing conditions and color variations.

Thanks Katrina for the link, great information.

[Selmo]

Thanks for the link katrina, I have seen pictures of pulcherrima growing in cracks in the rocks in its native habitat but did not know it can take being under water. We have three different Doritis (now phalaenopsis) and all are different in plant size, leaf shape, and leaf color. You can tell that they are different than the typical phalaenopsis hybrid you see. Once again, not the best picture, took it for other reasons, but you can see the narrow pointed coarse leaf with the spots.

[estación seca]

Thank you for the link. This looks almost exactly like habitat for rupicolous Laelia, as well as Jumellea in Madagascar and Cyrtopodium in Brazil.

[Tindomul]

Very nice bloom.