I got this Phal at the grocery store this morning but it doesn't say which particular one it is. Is there any way you guys can help me ID it?
Is the old saying water weekly weakly? I did water it - yes I know to water & then let it all drain off. I put a VERY weak solution of liquid Miracle Grow in the water but I can't recall if you fertilize ever week or every other week. It's leaves were looking a bit pale - I do believe they have greened up some already.



Also, in this photo - see the lower leaf (or 2) to the right? The big one which is actually the 2nd leaf up, has a rotting spot on it. Should I cut that leaf off?

Thanks!

Hi Ann, the term "weakly weekly" refers to fertilizer, not water, actually. My Phals get watered a couple of times a week, lightly.

It's a really pretty one, but as you can imagine there are literally thousands of cultivars of Phal. Unless there is a tag with contact info for the grower, I'd think you're out of luck on a name.

Check to see what it's potted in, and that there are air holes and good drainage in the pot. A lot of big box store and grocery store Phals come potted in a soggy, dense wad of sphagnum and this is virtually a death sentence as the plants absolutely need air to get to the roots. Either stick your finger down under the middle of the plant, or gently ease it out of the pot to take a look.

Get back to us if you find the soggy wad of moss. If there is wood chips and perlite and chunky stuff like that, it's good.

Thanks Elaine. Yes, I did look as it's in a clear pot inside a white pot & it looks like chunky stuff but I do need to get more photos to show to ask if I should move it up in pot size. I will do that later or tomorrow. Meanwhile, I realize I did not post the second photo I meant to showing the leaf I was asking about. I will post that now. My mind has been very preoccupied lately with a gravely ill friend & I find myself forgetting things.



The tag does have the growers name & website so I will check with them.

The leaves look fine and it is growing in bark, not moss, so you are good to go. It is not necessary to repot now but when you do, opt for a clay orchid pot.

The leaf you are referring to is showing symptoms of Erwinia. You need to cut it off with a sterile tool immediately. It spreads fast in Phals and can kill the plant.

Refer to this handout pg. 17.
http://www.phelpsfarm.com/Orch...

You can leave the leaves on until they lose all their green. These plants lose their leaves from the bottom up, faster in the summer when they are growing new ones, too. So yes, there is a slightly yellow one on the bottom, and the second one does have a brown spot but it doesn't look like anything serious.

Phals also hate to be re-potted, and also can object to being moved around, so find a good spot for it with some early morning sunlight at most, and leave it there until it's finished blooming. Then think about re-potting if necessary. Btw, it's a VERY good thing to see fat, healthy roots on top of the medium like that. When Phals are growing well they stick their roots up into the air, so don't feel as if you need to cover all the roots. They're epiphytes so they take in a lot of moisture and nutrients through the leaves as well.

Another very good thing is that the plant is sitting on a slant in the pot. This prevents any water from sitting in the cup of the leaves which can cause crown rot. So when you re-pot it, remember to keep it at that angle, too.

I just noticed the leaf with Erwinia and agree with Melissa. Cut it off with a sterile tool.

Jim

Excellent information from you all!!! Thank you! It's home until it begins to get cold is out on the screened in porch where it receives bright light but no direct sun. You know we have humidity here so that part is taken care of. The challenge will be keeping it humid enough when I bring it inside for winter. I will put a tray beneath filled with gravel & water to provide humidity - I only hope that will be enough.

Good to know about the slant.

hawkarica said:I just noticed the leaf with Erwinia and agree with Melissa. Cut it off with a sterile tool.

Jim

Will do!

10% bleach solution is an easy way to sterilize scissors.

Or use a propane torch.

Jim

shadytrake said:10% bleach solution is an easy way to sterilize scissors.

I have an Exacto knife that has sections on it where you can break the blade off & then dispose of that portion. I think that will do nicely & make a clean cut.

Can I spray the cut portion with 10% bleach?

I wouldn't spray a fresh cut with bleach. Just sprinkle some cinnamon on it.

Jim

Totally forgot about the cinnamon. Thanks for reminding me. Cut the leaf off this morning & will go sprinkle the cinnamon now.
The dog will be sticking her nose in the air wondering what food she smells up on the porch table.

And Melissa, thank you for the link to that handout. It is very informative.

I found out which one it is! The clear pot inside the white pot had writing on it - it said Grissini so I Googled & there is a relatively new patent on Grissini. I had not found it listed on the growers website & thought I would have to send them an email with photo which of course would probably take a few days for them to respond but now I don't have to wait.
I'll put it in the db later today.

Oh, Ann I would definitely remove the plant from the white pot, to allow more air to get to the roots as well. You really don't want any water hanging around the bottom of the orchid. Air flow to the roots is important.

Phalaenopsis Grissini is not in the RHS database, but here is the parentage. The RHS registered name is Phalaenopsis Brother Pico Striper so Grissini must be the clonal name, which is never registered with RHS.

They must be patenting the clone to mass produce.

So your tag should read: Phalaenopsis Brother Pico Striper 'Grissini'

(Phal. Sunrise Delight x Phal. Timothy Christopher)

Hope this helps you!

Agree with others to remove that outer pot. You do want humidity for the Phals, but not inside a pot with no holes.

Good job, Melissa.

Jim

shadytrake said:Phalaenopsis Grissini is not in the RHS database, but here is the parentage. The RHS registered name is Phalaenopsis Brother Pico Striper so Grissini must be the clonal name, which is never registered with RHS.

They must be patenting the clone to mass produce.

So your tag should read: Phalaenopsis Brother Pico Striper 'Grissini'

(Phal. Sunrise Delight x Phal. Timothy Christopher)

Hope this helps you!

Agree with others to remove that outer pot. You do want humidity for the Phals, but not inside a pot with no holes.

Thank you! I have to patent info. bookmarked along with a few other sources of info. on it but although I have put my share of new entries in the db, I am unfamiliar with doing an Orchid so you have been loads of help Melissa.

I took it out of the white pot this morning & have the clear pot it's in sitting on some folded paper towels. I am about to go out & pull it out of the clear pot & inspect things. I don't trust these grocery store/ big box / special deal / mass production dealies & want to make sure there actually IS chunky stuff all the way to the bottom & that they didn't throw some moss in there somewhere to fill out the mix. I also need to rummage around in the garage & the shed too to see of I have a clay pot hanging around here anywhere. I know I don't have any clay orchid pots but a regular clay pot is better than the plastic it's in now.
I'm going to take some photos while I'm at it & post them for you guys just in case I miss something I ought not to.

Thanks y'all!