OrchidSafari ARCHIVES*

Jade-in-GR (Grand Rapids MI)
John_in_Arcadia,_CA
Clare_in_Arcadia CA
Barbara,_N._CA
Ed_in_SAT (San Antonio TX)
Zeynep (Wilmington NC)
Thomas_in_Richmond,_VA
di_gustard (email/location?)
marylois (northern Louisiana)
sparkysteve (Boca Raton FL)
AHORCHID (Art - Simpsonville SC)
Paul, Saginaw, MI
Ellensmithown (NY)
Jane5536 (L. I. NY)
Marc (CA)
Jose41822 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
guttatajoe (email/location?)
Susan-from-Oregon

Howard Ginsberg
Hi all. The topic is yellow phals. Any phal growers here?

John_in_Arcadia,_CA
What is the name of the best yellow (no other color) Phal that you know of? Clare_in_Arcadia
Howard, excuse my ignorance. But where is Bedford Orchids? And I'm guessing you specialize in phals? I must admit that I have killed every phal that was given to me. My mother-in-law does wonders with them, so she gets all of mine. I always get them as gifts. because they are spectacular looking.

Ed_in_SAT
My yellow vote goes to Hausermann's Gold Cup. What a fine breeder that has become!

John_in_Arcadia,_CA
Which clone, Ed?

Ed_in_SAT
There are several good ones, John, but I think the whole cross is outstanding. Not sure you can get a bad one.

Howard Ginsberg
As far as Hausermann's Goldcup, it is a good breeder. There is also Taipei Gold, another great breeder. There is Bamboo Baby. Do you call Golden Buddha a yellow? The best breeder is probably Misty Green - 17 awarded progeny in 87 hybrids. 27 awards to the grex, although most are like its parent Bamboo Baby, white centrally and chartreuse on the outer portion.

The BEST yellow - for show? For breeding? Large? Multiflora?

John_in_Arcadia,_CA
Best in all four categories.

Zeynep
Tell me the best multiflora, please.

Clare_in_Arcadia
OK, Howard, I grow catts and onc. and as I said I have killed all my phals. Can you suggest how I might bloom a phal in those conditions? I water once a week, but have decent humidity, except for today.

Jade-in-GR
I like Taipei Gold. It probably is my most reliable grower.

Howard
Taipei Gold is a great yellow, not the darkest but VERY floriferous and reliable. Zeynep, as far as multis go, there are not many. In Taiwan, I have seen pictures of Brother Stage crosses. They are deep yellow and very floriferous. Of course, Brother Stage is a Taipei Gold cross (x Golden Amboin). There are also Deventeriaina, and its cross to Taipei Gold, Brother Lawrence. Then you have Goldberry x Brother Lawrence, which is Taida Lawrence. This has an AQ, several awards and promises to be one of the best yellows ever.

Zeynep

Howard, are you going to have Phal. Brother Stage crosses at anytime soon?

Howard
There are Brother Stage crosses available from me and others. I have about 20 Brother Stage meristems reaching maturity and, when they do, watch out. But there is also Golden Sun (Sentra x Salu Spot) and Ching Her Buddha (Golden Sun x Salu Spot, its parent) and one of the best ever Auckland.

Clare_in_Arcadia
I take it that yellows are the most difficult. What's the next colour quest?

marylois
I just potted up that Brother Stage flask I got from you with Ida Williams, Howard - good looking plants. Actually didn't pot up - had no clean small pots - did a big compot. Will have to move on SOON - too big for that!

Howard
I posted a new page Bedford Orchids.
. There is a yellow multi to make you drool. Already AM/AOS

There is also the best plant that I saw at the WOC (Auckland Buddha x Paifang's Auckland) x Paifang's Auckland.

marylois
Really like that Little Emperor, Howard!

Howard
Auckland Buddha is Paifang's Auckland x Fortune Buddha, so this is really intense breeding. Remember that yellow breeding is younger than most of us, about 30 years old. The biggest problems - small number of flowers, inflorescence too long, flowers not flat, most -not all- yellows have red spots or marks.

Paul,_Saginaw,_Mi
Howard, what is the best yellow phal that will hold its color for the duration of the blossom?

Howard
The best yellow to hold its color- Brother Stage form what I saw in Taiwan. Knock your socks off. Better that Hausermann's Goldcup.

Another problem is that the bigger the flowers get, the paler they get as a rule. You breed a deep yellow to a white and you end up with a light/medium yellow but large, usually quite flat. In any case, in the beginning one of the best (and largest) yellows was Golden Sands. It was bred to amboinensis (Golden Amboin) and gigantea (Liu Tuen-Shen). Neither of these is deep yellow themselves BUT the yellow they pass on is at least as dark as them.

Jade-in-GR
Do growing conditions affect the density of the color in yellows like it does in pinks?

Paul,_Saginaw,_Mi
If the flower is to be big, maintain its color, what must be crossed to do this? What is the cross of Golden Sands?

Howard
Golden Sands is Fenton Davis Avant, a large white, and a small species - possibly fasciata.

Ellensmithown
Howard what is the best pure yellow, no spots or barring?
Howard Best yellow no spots is Brother Stage. A picture is on my web site and on another whole page there are lots of photos of Taipei Gold hybrids.

Paul,_Saginaw,_Mi
Is Golden Sands still readily available or a thing of the past?

John_in_Arcadia,_CA
Paul, I have heard that all of Golden Sands are virused.

Howard
Golden Sands was slow to mature. It didn't breed at first and several people stemmed it. BUT some people stem/meristem anything without testing. Many could probably be virused. Are they all virused? Doubt it. Hausermann's won't meristem anything virused. Baldan's kaleidoscope 'Golden Treasure', AM/AOS is apparently virused and they are meristemming it now in Florida.

Jane5536
Is there any secret go blooming Phal. violacea? Mine had one flower in the house but then the spike died. Should I try to spike in grnhse then bring into the house where it is warmer?

Paul,_Saginaw,_Mi
Howard, where are you located and what is your primary orchid that you specialize in?

Howard
Violacea likes warmer temps and is summer blooming. When mature, it will keep old flower spikes.

Howard
Paul, I am a phal person. You know - 'real' orchids. I am in Montreal but judge in Boston, MA. Great city. Go to Boston about once a month and ship all the Bedford Orchids orders from there.

Jane5536
Howard-does volacea need a temp differential to spike?

Jose41822
Howard, when you say mature (violacea), how old is and how big is it supposed to be? My violacea is very slow growing. Maybe I should look for a new one.

Jade-in-GR
Mine too. It definitely seems like a plant for someone under 40!

Zeynep
Howard are the yellows and sunset tones more vunerable to fungus, bacteria, etc.?

Howard
Violacea just need warmth, forget the differential. The yellow species, fuscata, fasciata, amboinensis, venosa, lueddemannia, etc. tend to be more susceptible to crown rot.

Howard
Just keep growing up the plant. Don't cut old spikes on any summer-blooming species. General rule of thumb. My preferences as a phal person are scented phals, red phals, yellow phals and anything out of the ordinary.

Zeynep
And you are doing very good job in introducing us to them.

Howard
My site is slowly but surely becoming VERY education oriented. A plant of the month, Spica, Bamboo Baby and Misty Green in October. Lots of photo pages. I have my own comments on culture and then there is a link to another page.

di_gustard
But is there a good one that will be tolerent of my inadequecies while I'm learning -- my Vanda was showed a lot of compassion and it now sporting 12 magnificent blooms - any suggestions?

Howard
di_gustard, go to Home Depot and buy something CHEAP but healthy. Something big with lots of flowers. Join your local orchid society. Read a book. Look on the internet.

di_gustard
Joined, read, looked, thanks.

Marc
Howard, how many new leaves do you get per year?

Howard
Leaves per year? Anywhere from 2 to 4.

Ellensmithown
Howard can you suggest a good book as reference on phals?

Howard
The best book - Bob Gordon's Culture of the Phalaenopsis Orchid, Revised Edition. Except for the chapter on spiking phals, everything in the book can be applied to catts, vandas, paphs, etc as well as african violets, petunias, etc.

Paul,_Saginaw,_Mi
I especially like the scented ones but hard to come for really good ones any suggestions?

Howard
Scented - hybrids with violacea, venosa, lueddemanniana, amboinensis, etc. Princess Kaiulani, Penang Girl, etc. I got about 1000 seeds on a cross of Princess Kaiulani x Penang Girl.

Ellensmithown
Will we ever see yellow and sunsets with long spikes like the whites and pinks.

Howard
Things with gigantea grow slower. I have a Formosa San Fan that just sits there. But then there are others that grow like weeds. Violacea is not a particularly quick grower. Repot. Often. Plants go nuts for the first 3 months following repotting. Put out new roots - and new leaves.

Paul,_Saginaw,_Mi
I have found this so true. Phals seem to take off after a new planting.

Marc
Is there a "normal" number of leaves?

Howard
There is no such thing as normal but expect at least one leaf every 4 months on average. The longer the leaf, the longer it takes to grow.

Jose41822
Howard, I have a plant of Phal. Encarnada de Caso . It has a new spike with 2 buds and three (3) old ones without any buds. I hate to say I cropped-off the tips hoping that they'd branch but they're not doing anything. Should I cut the old spikes completely?

Howard
For the Encarnado de Caso, do not under any circumstances cut the spikes. The spikes will keep re-blooming. Every year you will get new flowers. Encarnado de Caso is Spirit House x George Vasquez so it doesn't really need chilling.

Jose41822
I find so. I have 2 buds now and I haven't chilled it. I tried to cross it with a Sweet memory early this year but it didn't take.

Marc!
My phal appears to be still growing and I just chilled it, is it harmful to repot now? And should you wait til it stops growing to chill them?

AHORCHID
I plan on chilling mine some more this weekend. Temps down on mid 40s.

Jade-in-GR
Howard, I like to grow species. It looks like most of the scented Phals are definitely grown on the warm side.

Howard
The scented phal species tend to grow warmer. But amabilis, doritis pulcherrima (Phal. esmeralda correctly), and lindenii tend to grow a tad cooler.

di_gustard
If you're a dummy and cut off the spike before you read the book, internet etc. - what is the net effect? My Phal has 2 new leaves in 6 months but no signs of a new spike

Marc
Mine have 2 new leaves each year. So, far, didnt bloom again this year! I thought it was too cold outside and was afraid to chill mine last year.

Howard
Be patient. The plant will bloom when it's ready. Be patient. Do not be afraid to chill phals. However, temperatures below 58F are too cool.

Paul,_Saginaw,_Mi
What are we chilling? All mine grow in the basement and bloom away. There may be a change of temp but only when the house cools down at night.

Marc
If you forget to bring it outside for one day, after chilling it for 4 days. Do you need to start the 7 day chilling again? Or can I just chill it for the next 4 days? Howard
One night of chilling is often enough but don't worry just keep chilling. Chilling by the way is having a day night differentail of at least 15F.

AHORCHID
What will happen if temps go down into mid 40s? Will they die or just stop growing?

Howard
Mid-40s stop growth and can have serious effects. Do NOT do it often.

Zeynep
When did they change Doritis pulcherrima's name to Phal esmeralda?

Howard
Eric Christenson has decided that pulcherrima is really esmeralda. His book is at the printers.

Jade-in-GR
I have the P. esmeralda (is that the new taxinomic name?) and it grows well but I haven't gotten it to bloom.

Marc
Should you wait until the last leaf expands fully before chilling?

Paul,_Saginaw,_Mi
Am I missing something by not chilling?

jim_with_new_fingers
Not if yours are blooming!!

Barbara,_N._CA
I've bloom phals for years, always good flowers and good leaves, I don't go about chilling it, if the temps drop a little, that's good. IF not I just won't turn on the heater that soon, No need to run around find a chiller for the phals.

Howard
Chill anytime that you want. New leaf out or not, as you wish. Not really BUT plants not chilled may not bloom as small as those that get chilled.

Marc
Another problem is that the new roots are practically dead from lack of moisture. I mist it up to a few times a day if I can. But they are still dead! Can the leave still grow after its chilled? I am chilling mine now and I just saw signs of another new leaf!

Howard
It is 10:17 and I have to be in court tomorrow early am so I am going to call it a night for now. Night all, night Zeynep, Lois, etc.

marylois
Good night, Howard. Thanks for your time. Good evening here at OrchidSafari!

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