# Phalaenopsis stuartiana var. nobilis opening up



## Happypaphy7 (Apr 12, 2016)

I bought this from Ten Shin at the Deepcut back in February.
It was in short spike and I like yellow flowers, so I took it without thinking much. 

The spike branched quite well, but it started to die off one by one. 

The few remaining buds slowly developed.
I didn't know this species open all the buds at the same time. 
I'm interested to see how yellow this will get.

The first photo is about 10 days old and the second one was taken today.

I am rather troubled by jagged edges on all of the flowers. Hopefully not virus, but will test it any way.


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## abax (Apr 12, 2016)

Give it time if you just brought it home. Phals. are a bit fussy when changing from one set of conditions to another.
I'd love to see it again when the blooms open.


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## Marco (Apr 13, 2016)

Exciting. I always wanted one of these.


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## trdyl (Apr 13, 2016)

Sweet!


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## NYEric (Apr 13, 2016)

Good luck. What are you growing it in? Maybe more water...


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## trdyl (Apr 13, 2016)

NYEric said:


> Maybe more water...



More water?


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## SlipperFan (Apr 13, 2016)

Looks like it will be quite nice.


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## mrhappyrotter (Apr 13, 2016)

Great. I have the regular form, which I bought before I realized that the nobilis form was the yellow variety I'd seen online. I definitely like nobilis more and yours looks like it's about to put on a terrific show. I love the branches.


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## Hamlet (Apr 14, 2016)

I agree with abax, Phals can take some time to adjust to new conditions, it's not rare to see them drop buds or flowers after moving them in a new environment. So I think you're doing great, you're getting quite a lot of flowers for such a small plant still!


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## bigleaf (Apr 14, 2016)

In my experience nobilis can be more challenging. Watch with care not to let the root stay wet in cool temperature. Your best bet is fast wet dry cycle

Nobilis tends to be more challenging probably from inbreeding selection for yellow color form.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 14, 2016)

I guess the photo does not show the fine details, but the "toothy" edge" has nothing to do with underwatering, which by the way, mine has not suffered. 

I'm just worried if it's just a crappy clone or work of virus.
There was a study done on a large flowering white phalaenopsis. 
Ones infected with CymMV showed no signs.
Ones infected with OGRS and infect with both virus had flowers with various deformity, and uneven outlining (or the edge of the petals and sepals) was one of the major signs.
Hence, my worries.
It is a first time flowering and only has about three good leaves, so I'm not sure if I want to sacrifice one leaf for testing. 
hmmm


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 14, 2016)

Hamlet said:


> I agree with abax, Phals can take some time to adjust to new conditions, it's not rare to see them drop buds or flowers after moving them in a new environment. So I think you're doing great, you're getting quite a lot of flowers for such a small plant still!



True. and the fact that I got this back in February in freezing cold.
I sort of expected blasting although disappointing.
It does show great potential because this is only a first time bloomer and all the branching (including the blasted ones) side spikes were just so promising for future blooming, even next spring.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 14, 2016)

bigleaf said:


> In my experience nobilis can be more challenging. Watch with care not to let the root stay wet in cool temperature. Your best bet is fast wet dry cycle
> 
> Nobilis tends to be more challenging probably from inbreeding selection for yellow color form.



Weak/inferior due to recessive genes accumulating? lol
I will see. I tend to be paranoid about virused plants when it comes to certain genera like mericloned phals, cattleyas, and oncidiums among others.
You grow lots of phals that are mostly seed propagated.
What's your take on virus? I mean, what do you do to minimize the rate, or do you sometimes run test??


This one is in large coconut chips with stone at the bottom of the pot, so drainage is excellent. 

The apartment is warm, well, at night a bit cooler.


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## abax (Apr 15, 2016)

Just a note at least for my conditions, I've found a good
number of species and primary crosses and a few hybrids do better
mounted on cork with a good pad of sphagnum or even
long fibered coco. The plant gets quick drainage and the
spikes look more "natural" and don't have to be staked.
Of course, mounts do have to be watered more often. To
me, this is compensated by the fact that you don't have to do much repotting.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 15, 2016)

I know what you're saying, but I don't do mount.
It is not for indoor growers, really.


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## abax (Apr 15, 2016)

Oh yes, you can mount in a house. I did it for years before
I had a greenhouse. I did have a humidifier close to the
mounts, but the mounts were actually much less trouble
than taking pots to the kitchen to water. I also do horizontal mounts in my greenhouse for Phals. along with
vertical mounts on a long wall.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 19, 2016)

No, not for me. 
Too dry and I'm not going to stand by it misting every hour. 

Still not open. Slowest thing ever!
Very toothy. I think I might just throw it away.


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## SlipperFan (Apr 19, 2016)

Happypaphy7 said:


> No, not for me.
> Too dry and I'm not going to stand by it misting every hour.
> ...



Not impossible. Get a very large clay pot -- 15-18" diameter, soak it until fully saturated, set it in a shallow pan of water, and hang your mounted plants inside the pot. You can water them once a day -- the excess water will wet the pot and drain into the pan, replenishing the water. The clay pot helps add humidity to the air inside the pot. This worked for me for many years when I grew inside the house.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 21, 2016)

Thanks for the tip, Dot, but I just threw the plant away in the garbage today.
The poor quality flowers never opened further. 

I threw away some other plants that I grew tired of, and then ordered two Phalaenopsis schilleriana of different breeding line from orchid web to fill up the space! hahaha


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## jtrmd (Apr 24, 2016)

virus..definitely! needs to be microwaved for at least 5 mins.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 25, 2016)

hahaha no need. 
It is now long gone in the trash!


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## NYEric (Apr 25, 2016)

Niel you are too funny. I have pots of Phals at home that I rescued from the trash. It would be better if you just put your throw-aways in a box and have me come over to Roosevelt Island and get them.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 25, 2016)

I know, Eric, but it's just me. I'm all paranoid about diseases (especially uncurable virus) spreading to my plants, so I tend to dump things out if in doubt for any reason. 

Rescuing plants is unthinkable to me as I have no idea how they had been handled by previous owners and what kind of health they are in.
Again, that's just me.

I do not give away plants that I throw away to anyone. I don't want anyone to pick it up. I just don't. Again, that's just me.

I don't even want other people touch my plants. I just find it highly annoying and potentially dangerous. What would those hands carry? 
I know it might just not matter, but I can't help. lol

I do sell, raffle off, or give away plants I don't want, but only if they are something I consider "safe".

Now, I'm looking forward to my new Phal schillariana! A bit worried as I don't like mail order that much. There have been "surprises" which I hate.
I love to pick out my own at nursery visits. That way, I know what I'm getting and no one to blame but myself.

I wouldn't name names, but some people thought I was mental after discovering how picky I am, but then once they saw my plants and how "clean" they are, they just shut up. hahaha


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## Linus_Cello (Apr 25, 2016)

Happypaphy7 said:


> I know, Eric, but it's just me. I'm all paranoid about diseases (especially uncurable virus) spreading to my plants, so I tend to dump things out if in doubt for any reason.



Unfortunately, most phals from supermarkets, big box stores, home improvements stores, are likely virused...


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## jtrmd (Apr 25, 2016)

Linus_Cello said:


> Unfortunately, most phals from supermarkets, big box stores, home improvements stores, are likely virused...



Pretty much most of the Classic Cattleyas are as well. I treat everything in my GH as if it could be virused. Torching my scissors in between plants and keeping the sucking insects at bay, and I never reuse pots. I have seen some vendor GHs that you know they don't take precautions and been to some that are super clean. I knew someone who tested his whole collection and 70% of them tested positive for a virus or two.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 26, 2016)

Linus_Cello said:


> Unfortunately, most phals from supermarkets, big box stores, home improvements stores, are likely virused...



I wouldn't say that, because I know some people who had tons of those phals, and tested. Majority came out negative for the two most commonly suspected viruses.

I no longer buy those phals anyway. so no worries for those for me. haha


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 26, 2016)

jtrmd said:


> Pretty much most of the Classic Cattleyas are as well. I treat everything in my GH as if it could be virused. Torching my scissors in between plants and keeping the sucking insects at bay, and I never reuse pots. I have seen some vendor GHs that you know they don't take precautions and been to some that are super clean. I knew someone who tested his whole collection and 70% of them tested positive for a virus or two.



Yes, I read about a nursery that had to basically shut down everything and start over.
I think they are back with viruses and stopped caring any more, unfortunately. won't say who.


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## jtrmd (Apr 26, 2016)

Happypaphy7 said:


> Yes, I read about a nursery that had to basically shut down everything and start over.
> I think they are back with viruses and stopped caring any more, unfortunately. won't say who.



I heard stories of the old Waldor Orchids and RF Orchids back in the day. They would use the same scissors on every plant in the GH if they could. I know 3 I have been in and don't by from that come with company. Hints- One is south of me in MD and the other is a Cattleya Expert and wrote a book on culture.I left there and had scale all over me lol.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 26, 2016)

Old Waldor as in how long back??
I know they are still big on Cattleyas, and many traditionally Cattleya-focused nurseries had viruses as they didn't know back in the day and the cut flower of Cattleyas used to be the money maker.

Visiting nurseries and seeing their plants and overall conditions really give great insight. 

I am happy that I mostly grow paphiopedilums and now even this group, I am wanting to switch to flasks or young seedlings from people that I am comfortable with.


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## bigleaf (Apr 28, 2016)

Here is a seedling with good color. It's deep yellow in person. Form isn't great 
We have a new nice clone from Taiwan that seem to have good form. Time will tell if it's a good grower.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 28, 2016)

That is a lemon yellow, if the photo shows the color correctly.
It is nice. Most I see are buttery ( can't think of anything else) yellow, which is also nice.

My Phal. philippinensis also had flowers opening up ruffly like that, two.


That red phal is nice, by the way.
Is it fragrant??


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## bigleaf (Apr 28, 2016)

Yes the red flower is fragrant.


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## cnycharles (May 1, 2016)

Nice yellow and red! I'd never seen a nobilis that didn't have incised cuts on the petal/sepal edges, probably from too much inbreeding 


Elmer Nj


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## Happypaphy7 (May 1, 2016)

I have seen lots with clean cut edge.

I'm sure inbreeding might cause inferior flowers too but there was a study done on phalaenopsis. 
ORSV caused deformity of various types on phalaenopsis, the studies plants were the large white flowering hybrid. 

Either case, it wasn't worth keeping for me.


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## abax (May 2, 2016)

That's such a shame happy. The one I have from Mr. Lin
is gorgeous and very healthy. All the flowers are open on
both spikes and the color is glorious. Get one!


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