Phalaenopsis Photos Doritaenopsis Little Gem Stripes
'Stars'

dtps little gem stripes
Flower close-up

This multifloral is one of many superior clones to emerge from Taiwan, where phalaenopsis breeding is reaching new heights. This is its first blooming with two spikes, and shows what can be accomplished in a relatively small space on a windowsill (or under lights).

stps little gem stripes
The same orchid only a few years ago when it was younger! Phalaenopsis can grow quite quickly under optimal growing conditions.

This gorgeous multifloral phalaenopsis has bloomed for us on our windowsill with 70 flowers on two spikes! The flowers will last several months. A doritaenopsis is a hybrid between two closely related orchid genera: doritis and phalaenopsis. It's essentially a phalaenopsis and should be grown like one. Multiflorals are bred to have more numerous, though typically smaller, flowers. The plants will often bloom small, and remain compact. However, plant size depends on their parentage and many multifloral plants, like this one, will get as big as a standard phalaenopsis.

doritaenopsis little gem stars

 This orchid is growing in a 5.5" plastic pot and is potted in Pro-Mix, a sphagnum peat-based mix, that has had additional perlite added to it to improve aeration. It has been demonstrated that many orchids grow better in a Pro-Mix type mix, but it does not work well for everyone. I find that phals do well in under household growing conditions in plastic pots. However, it takes some skill to make sure you do not overwater plants in this kind of mix, as it is easy to do so.

It receives bright indirect light from south and eastern exposure throughout the year. It's spikes in early spring when night temperatures below (around 60). Keeping night temperatures low while the spike is elongating to about 10 inches, has been shown to increase the number of buds. This can be accomplished by keeping plants near a cracked window at night.  Once buds are clearly visible there is no need for night temperatures to be particularly low.  

We fertilize it regularly during the growing season, including  a standard 'blossom booster' orchid fertilizer that is not very high in nitrogen. Orchids drowning in Pro-Mix do not require the higher nitrogen levels that those growing in a bark mix do. It is kept evenly moist, though not wet, throughout the year, with slightly less moisture during the cooler darker winter days. 

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