Its in a plastic orchid pot and is just placed in the bigger pot for looks and to stabilize it since its so tall. I thought the same thing about the price! They had all different kinds for really cheap. All huge and nothing over $10. I should have got 2 but Im not really good at orchids yet and wasn't sure about how well it would do. Thanks for the advice. I really like this plant and want it to do well. How often do these rebloom? Ive never been able to get my phals to rebloom before :(

Gary, it's more than *either* bozo *or* snobbish. Big middle of the continuum where most of us hang out. Knowing that live orchids are thrown out to die is tough. However, my 40 indoor plants are crowded, and just one of those large big box Phals would push a couple off the shelf. Denninmi, for me, the most important thing is to enjoy our orchids, whatever their source or price. I'm glad the big box stores have Phals and other orchids at low prices. I might never have gotten into orchids had it not been for one of those stores. Before then, I thought orchids demanded hothouse conditions and didn't know commercial growers existed. The stores introduce loads of uninformed folks to orchids. Your question about quality... Masses of big box orchids, identified or not, come from Thailand. Others may know if quality is similar to those from US commercial growers, but *I* feel better buying from a grower whom I can contact to see if they have an orchid not listed in their catalog, get detailed info about a particular plant, could visit if in the area, whatever. Your question about what the availability of these plants at low prices to the general public means to more professional orchid growers... I wonder about that, too, if I'm understanding your question. Have big box sales had a detrimental effect on US professional, commercial growers? My understanding is countless plants come from factory farms in Thailand, where the weather's ideal; utility, labor, transportation, & other costs are low; and the mammoth greenhouse compounds are largely or completely automated. It seems impossible for US growers to compete, but perhaps the two markets largely draw different customers. Or maybe hobbyists continue to buy from US growers while shopping at big box stores for inexpensive, blooming orchids that aren't available from US growers at those prices anyway. There are bound to be other variables. And... just know - for $15-$25 plus shipping, you can get a blooming size Phal from a US commercial grower, or one of the multitude of other orchids that grow in Phal conditions. These plants aren't likely forced to bloom, as the big box orchids are. If you order during the orchid's natural blooming season, you'll receive a spiking plant. Otherwise, it will flower during its next season, as most of yours probably do now. Enjoy, WhiteCat8

This phal. that I just bought is also a "Just add Ice" orchid, I knew better than to believe that #$&^! Ha ha, Just thought I would add that because I just noticed that post about them. I did try another Aldi's yesterday to look for more, They had one, The top was broken but had a side stem full of buds,.

I would offer the suggestion that you start looking for the best varieties in the kinds of orchids you buy. Figure out what grows well in your conditions, and then unless you have unlimited space, buy the best varieties. They all take space, light, and care, but some plants are just more vigorous and floriferous than others, and they are worth an extra few dollars. For example, Phal Baldan's Kaleidoscope 'Golden Treasure' is one great plant. Another great phal that's not expensive is Taisuco Firebird. Both often put up two spikes and bloom for months. Another smaller plant that I absolutely love is Bc. Memoria Bernice Foster, which blooms twice a year for me, and has a faint but pervasive scent in the evening. There are many other great plants like these, which forum members will happily tell you about. My bottom line, after 6-8 years of growing orchids, is that you figure out what you like and can grow well, and buy the best of those varieties. That said, I have a big brassia that takes a lot of space and hasn't bloomed for more than a year. If it doesn't put up some spikes pretty soon, it will be looking for a new home.