# Phal. equestris var coerulea culture...



## Geek_it (Feb 13, 2021)

Are equestris summer blooming? What can induce it to flower?


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## abax (Feb 13, 2021)

I have several equestris and they are spiking now as they have for many years.


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## Geek_it (Feb 13, 2021)

abax said:


> I have several equestris and they are spiking now as they have for many years.


Where are you located?

I have 3 but i dont see any spikes yet :-( so im trying to find out what i can do....


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## Geek_it (Feb 13, 2021)

Right now, my growing condition.

Indoors under t5 barrina lights
Relative humidity around 30-40%
temps 60f -70f


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## BrucherT (Feb 14, 2021)

abax said:


> I have several equestris and they are spiking now as they have for many years.


Wish I could grow them. Have tried multiple cultivars, the tipo, the white, the blue...always gone within a year.


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## Geek_it (Feb 14, 2021)

abax said:


> I have several equestris and they are spiking now as they have for many years.


 Does it need a temp drop? Longer light? Warmer temp? Any advice?


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## abax (Feb 14, 2021)

All my Phals. respond to temps. about 55F at night and 70F during the day. Have you tried putting them in a wooden
basket with loosely packed long fibered sphagnum moss?


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## RandyT (Feb 16, 2021)

I've had blue equestris bloom Dec/Jan, Mar/Apr. (most heavily) and Jun-Aug. Warm all the time, very little temperature drop. My winter cold is 55 F (record cold for my area in Hawaii, most years in mid 60's) and highs of 95F. 50-70% rh year round. Grows best in NZ sphagnum until the ph drops then the roots rot. Bark (NZ pinus radiata) lasts for years, but less, smaller and lighter colored flowers and not as many double spikes or twice a year blooming. 

Some of the blue equestris such as 'Blue' and 'Blue Taiwan' are hard to grow for me. They preferred a more porous media such as bark in my conditions. They eventually died.

Phal. equestris fma. cyanochilus that was made popular by Rob Shepard of Sapphire Dragon Orchids is much easier growing for me. It does well in both bark and moss with moss producing better flowering if I had kept on top of the repotting.


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## abax (Feb 17, 2021)

Randy, whatever happened to Rob Shepard? I bought some blue Phals. from him some time ago and tried to find
him again with no success. I have Purple Martin 'Champion', DTPS. Kenneth Schubert 'Fangtastic Violet' and Equalacea. All
my Phal. species grow and bloom well, however, Rob's plants grow very well, but are reluctant bloomers.


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## BrucherT (Feb 18, 2021)

abax said:


> All my Phals. respond to temps. about 55F at night and 70F during the day. Have you tried putting them in a wooden
> basket with loosely packed long fibered sphagnum moss?


No but I guess I will try that the next time.


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## Geek_it (Feb 18, 2021)

These are my phal equestris var coerulea ... they were in bloom when j got them back in september but the spikes dried out.

And was wondering when i can expect new spikes or how to induce it


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## RandyT (Feb 21, 2021)

abax said:


> Randy, whatever happened to Rob Shepard? I bought some blue Phals. from him some time ago and tried to find
> him again with no success. I have Purple Martin 'Champion', DTPS. Kenneth Schubert 'Fangtastic Violet' and Equalacea. All
> my Phal. species grow and bloom well, however, Rob's plants grow very well, but are reluctant bloomers.


Rob Shepard's website: Home-SDO | Sapphire Dragon Orchids


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## RandyT (Feb 21, 2021)

Geek_it said:


> These are my phal equestris var coerulea ... they were in bloom when j got them back in september but the spikes dried out.
> 
> And was wondering when i can expect new spikes or how to induce it


If you got it in spike in September, I'd expect it to rebloom around September. They certainly look large enough. I don't know how much light it's getting, perhaps a bit brighter? The leaves are nice, but quite green.


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## Geek_it (Feb 21, 2021)

RandyT said:


> If you got it in spike in September, I'd expect it to rebloom around September. They certainly look large enough. I don't know how much light it's getting, perhaps a bit brighter? The leaves are nice, but quite green.


They are under 2 x 24 in t5 barrina lights around 12 in from top of foliage...
*About this item*


Full Spectrum(White color) - Barrina T5 grow lights 2ft provide indoor plants with full-spectrum sunlight replacement. We provide the most reasonable grow light wave based on the ratio of the absorption of the plant
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## RandyT (Feb 25, 2021)

I'm sorry, but I don't grow with lights and have no idea about what is needed. It seems to me that some equestris flowering may be daylength or temperature related. I'm certain not all are as I can have equestris blooming in almost any month. It does seem that some clones or varieties may have triggers, many do not. For me, the clones 'Blue' and 'Blue Taiwan' were hard to grow and flower and I think mine all eventually died.


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