My Mom gave me her HUGE old Phalaenopsis

10 years ago

She says she has had it for 5 years. its not blooming right now, but she said it was about 9 months ago. It still has its old stem sticking out. Am i supposed to cut this thing off? The stem is really really thick. It has 12 leaves and they were all completely coated in dust, so i took a damp cloth and cleaned the leaves. then i lightly dried them. The roots are not in the best condition, I see a very mild case of root rot and the soil looks like its been watered 1 too many times. If exceptional care is given, when do you think the next bloom can be expected?

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Comments (7)

jane__ny
10 years ago
What zone are you in? You should add that to your screen name. Its impossible to give cultural information without having some idea where you live.

What type of conditions do you have? (light, inside/outside, temps).

Can you post a photo of the plant? Would be helpful as a spike with leaves suggests a keiki, but I can't be sure.

Best to repot the plant in an orchid mix which you can buy at any big box store.

Jane
westoh Z6
10 years ago
Generally: If in the US, given bright indirect light and a @15 degree temp drop between day/night this fall, expect new spikes in late fall/early winter, blooms a month or so after that. A little fertilizer every other week and maybe re-pot it if the media is broken down wouldn't hurt either.

Good luck,

Bob
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thatadeniumguy
Original Author
10 years ago
NOTE: That is not my picture! Its a google image pic i posted, they look the same tho mines not flowering and has another set of leaves.

Zone: I am between zones 9 and 10. Northern California.

lighting: a combination of indirect and direct. Its about 2 feet from a big window which gets morning sun. And a little bit of the light from my grow lights gets to it later in the day too.

Indoor plant year-round

Temp: Consistent, i would say an average of a 5-10 degree difference between day and night. Its not the best.

Humidity: VERY humid, equal to a greenhouse, i have a bunch of humidifiers running 24/7

Watering schedule: weekly/2x weekly (if needed)

Spike does not contain any leaves. its just a common phaelenopsis orchid from Home Depot, it has 6 sets of leaves with each set containing 2 leaves. its got that dried moss stuff going on for aesthetic.

Oh and this plant is not in soil, btw, its attached to driftwood and some lava rock and some moss too.
jane__ny
10 years ago
Thanks for the info. Sounds like you might have two plants? I don't understand what you mean about the sets of leaves.

" it has 6 sets of leaves with each set containing 2 leaves."

Not sure about all the humidity. Do you have fans running. You don't want to run into fungal problems. Orchids like air around their roots as they grow in trees. Sounds like it is mounted and you shouldn't have a problem with watering.

Bob gave you good advice. You can cut the spike if it is finished flowering.

Jane
thatadeniumguy
Original Author
10 years ago
ok thanks, i will cut the spike then. So then if a spike finished flowering it wont produce flowers from that same spike again?

Thanks all
arthurm
10 years ago
The answer to your last question is that sometimes it will. But, read the mountain of stuff in this recent thread (with links to older threads)

Here is a link that might be useful: Past thread on this subject
sweetcicely
10 years ago
Is it certain that your mother's plant is a Phalaenopsis?
To "hear" you describe it as though it has leaves in ranks of two, and its environment as very humid, and its watering so frequent, I'm wondering whether you might have an orchid I can't name, but which Jane-NY called her "Fat Boy," before her move to southern climes. ??

I live in an entirely different climate (dry) in NorCal, but my large phal would never survive such frequent watering. If what you have is actually a phal; and if it is as robust as the picture by google; I would advise you to do everything exactly as your mother did---except, perhaps, that you keep the dust off and move the plant to within about a foot of very bright, but indirect light (ESE or so). Its color should be more of a medium green; not so dark green as in the picture.

It should also be near a window in the fall, so that it will be able to get the temp drop at night for spike set.

It sounds like a great plant; please post a pic when it blooms!

My Mom gave me her HUGE old Phalaenopsis

Comments (7)

jane__ny

westoh Z6

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My Mom gave me her HUGE old Phalaenopsis

Comments (7)

jane__ny

westoh Z6

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jane__ny

thatadeniumguyOriginal Author

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sweetcicely

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