Pics, Xmas Phal Still in flower and.....

15 years ago

...there's more to come both on the 2 original flower stems and on the new flower stalk I spotted today!! I just can't believe this plant, I have lost count on how many flowers it has made. It was my first orchid ever and you may recall it's the one I had from my son/partner at Christmas and I'm afraid to say it has got me hooked right and proper! here's a pic taken today....sorry this may turn out to be a long post, but I am so excited!!!

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My next 'tentative' purchase being new to these plants, was the Cambria I wrote about recently, the one with the wrinkly pbulb that I was concerned about and the bargain plant that was due to be tossed as it had done flowering....well it now has two flower spikes plus the new shoot I mentioned, so I will be very interested to see what colour it turns out to be, I will keep you posted...

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It was my birthday a few days ago and on a visit with d/h to a local market town I just *happened* to spy a stall with lovely you guessed it, orchids for sale, all at VERY reasonable prices, Â£5 each, so naturally I got one, (had to buy it myself though!) The label says it too is a Cambria of some sort but I was amazed at the colour/patterns...and yes, it too now has another spike pushing out as you can see below...

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Then, to round the day off, on returning home the first thing I saw as we came round to the greenhouse was a colourful flowering plant that was definately not there when we left....another orchid, a birthday gift from my sister!!! As you can see it's a Phal again but it has much larger flowers than my original one, it to is lovely....

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I am so pleased with these plants, I realise they are only 'beginners' orchids compared to what some of you may be growing, but I like them so much. Wonder what will be in store next?

Gill.

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Comments (12)

richardol
15 years ago
Good work! You are off to a great start. Most of the other orchids are not all that hard, just that you need to know if they fit your conditions, or conditions you are willing to arrange.
greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks! Yes, as you can tell by the post above, I'm really 'chuffed' with my plants as we say here!
Have always fought shy of orchids having considered them as one of those scary plant families that are best admired but avoided like the plague due to being very picky about their environs. I therfore thought that they all must be very hard to grow sucessfully. How wrong I have been as now I'm learning more about them with GW help and getting more hooked by the day. Guess all plants need their own particular conditions really! Will stick with these beginners ones for now and learn more about them, don't want to run before I can walk.
Gill.
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The blue Phals are a marketing ploy, as are the Phals dyed other colors. Companies use white Phals, and the flowers on all future spikes will be white. From the link below: .... Florida-based Silver Vase Nursery presented its Blue Mystique at the Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in January. In May 2011, Dutch Geest Orchideen received the Flora Holland Award 2011 in the Concepts Category, for their Royal Blue phalaenopsis and its shade of blue which the jury considered to be delightful. During the growth process, the stalk of a white phalaenopsis orchid is injected with a blue dye solution. The intervention is performed in an environment that keeps the infection risk for the plant at a minimum. The blue color is absorbed by the orchid and creates a blue flower. Subsequent flowerings will result in white blooms. The dye is not available to the public, nor are the exact steps of the procedure. Do-it-yourself dyeing is not encouraged, and at every home gardenerÃ¢ÂÂs own risk. What has been upsetting Blue Mystique and Royal Blue Phal customers is that they believed to be buying a real blue orchid. In response to controversy that has been picked up by the media, growers now use product labels to inform buyers that a white orchid has been treated in order to produce those magnificent blue flowers, and that future blooms will be white. This simple gesture allows prospective customers to make informed blue orchid decisions. This is especially meaningful when evaluating the price of white versus blue phalaenopsis. While some may love the electric blue color just as much, others will plan to sell the orchid on Ebay once it returns to its true white nature. Others still might consider purchasing a real blue orchid from a specialty grower or decide on a bouquet of blue dendrobium instead. [end of article] Here is a link that might be useful: THE MYSTIQUE OF THE BLUE PHAL
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the_analyst
15 years ago
Gill, those look great! I must say, you also have an amazing view out the window!

Sarah
jane__ny
15 years ago
Is that your garden outside the window? How beautiful! I am so envious, my gardens are full of weeds and Japanese Beetles...
you are doing a great job growing your plants. Nice bright sunny window, they look very happy...

Great growing,
Jane
greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
Original Author
15 years ago
Sarah/Jane, hi there! Yes that's the back garden, it does well with all the rain we get here in the UK as it's always very green and lush, the grass hardly stops growing! I too have weeds if you look close enough and tons of slugs and snails, they have once again decimated some plants this year as we get such a lot with the wet weather we have. It's a pity orchids generally don't have perfume, that would be a stunning combo!!!
Gill.
felixcat
15 years ago
Hello Gill, I have transfered from my post to reply to yours! Your orchids are lovely they look so happy. It seems you are almost as sneaky as I am getting what you want! With orchids plumerias and everything else on the go.For all the cool weather we haven't done so badly have we?
Hazel.
jane__ny
15 years ago
Gill, most orchids are scented. You need to try other varieties. If you want to stick with Phals there are many with beautiful scents.

Jane
jodik_gw
15 years ago
Gorgeous orchids! And the background gardens are very nice! Mine are ok, but I do have my share of those pesky Japanese beetles!
littlem_2007
15 years ago
hello, Gill, lovely orchids!! and your backyard is so beautiful too. I guess that you are well on your way to another addition.
sue
greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi all. Hazel, just seen your other orchids, wow, fantastic! Seems we are following each others addictions... Plumies, DR's, BoP's, Orchids...whats next on the list? Yes it went rather chilly here last night but clear and sunny this morning, fingers crossed it will last a bit longer.
Jane, hi, must have been sniffing at the wrong ones as you say, had no idea any were scented. Must admit to only have been up close and personal with Cymbidiums and Phals in the garden centres, but have yet to find a scented one. Thanks for correcting me.
Jodi, glad you like the look of the garden, hope you get rid of the beetles, they sound real nastly little critters!
......and hi to you Sue, another 'on-line pal' who I keep bumping into eh? Yep, have got the orchid-bug now! haha! *rubs hands together vigorously*
Gill : Â¬ )
jodik_gw
15 years ago
Without using a heavy duty insecticide, I'm afraid the Japanese beetles will win... I'd hate to kill our wonderful praying mantises and other "good" garden bugs, so will just keep getting rid of them individually, and wait until the rest pass on through after devouring what they want.

It seems plant addictions are never just one type... I began collecting Hippeastrums, and now am beginning my Orchid collection, not to mention my Epiphyllum collection... if I had the room, I'd have more than one Plumeria, as well!
felixcat
15 years ago
Hello Gill, If you want a REALLY scented orchid try dendrobium kingianum. They are very overpowering cloyingly sweet and Jim won't let me bring them into the room. Mine are out of flower at the moment so I can't take a picture but they have miriads of small white,pink or purple cymbidium type flowers and the plants are almost indestructable.I think they are really pretty and can scent a whole room.If you google it you will find pictures.
Hazel.

Pics, Xmas Phal Still in flower and.....

Comments (12)

richardol

greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
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Pics, Xmas Phal Still in flower and.....

Comments (12)

greenclaws UK, Zone 8aOriginal Author

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greenclaws UK, Zone 8aOriginal Author

greenclaws UK, Zone 8aOriginal Author

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greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
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greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
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greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
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