Dtps Firecracker 'Blue Martini'

[Elena]

This plant has been a royal pain in the proverbial. I bought it sometime in June 07 as a flowering size plant. It grew like mad, increased in size but no matter what I tried it refused to flower until now. I finally noticed the spike a few weeks ago....emerging from the crown I'm guessing I'll have to hope for some keiki now.

Anyway, here's a picture

 

[goldenrose]

:clap: Well done Elena!! Worth the wait!
Sounds like it might not have been mature enough? We often forget that when a plant is classified BS it could bloom up to a year later. Hopefully it will get easier.

 

[T.paph]

nice blue!!!

 

[NYEric]

"Patience Grasshopper" - Master Bo

 

[Candace]

Bloomed from the crown, huh? That's a bit unusual.

 

[Kyle]

Bloomed from the crown, huh? That's a bit unusual.

Its like suicide for a phal. Thats why he is hoping for a basal kieki.

Kyle

 

[Hien]

Its like suicide for a phal. Thats why he is hoping for a basal kieki.

Kyle

Could you explain it a little bit more Kyle?

 

[Kyle]

When a spike comes out of the crown, the plant stops growing new leaves. If it doesn't make a basel keiki, the plant dies. From what I've heard, its not guaranteed that the plant will make a keiki.

 

[charlie c]

Kyle,

I've had this happen a couple of times. Both with Dtps. And both were/are mericlones. The main plants both stayed alive to produce an offset. One basal, and the other off the first node of the flower spike. The main plant then promptly shriveled away. Have not grown either keiki to blooming size yet. But will (hopefully) because I'm curious as to whether this will repeat. Or if this is a one-off cultural quirk. The fact that both were mericlones, and I've never had it happen with a plant grown from seed, makes me wonder if this is some sort of mericloning glitch? Or if this is peculiar to Doritis and it's hybrids? Does anyone out there know?

charlie

 

[Elena]

Kyle,

I've had this happen a couple of times. Both with Dtps. And both were/are mericlones. The main plants both stayed alive to produce an offset. One basal, and the other off the first node of the flower spike. The main plant then promptly shriveled away. Have not grown either keiki to blooming size yet. But will (hopefully) because I'm curious as to whether this will repeat. Or if this is a one-off cultural quirk. The fact that both were mericlones, and I've never had it happen with a plant grown from seed, makes me wonder if this is some sort of mericloning glitch? Or if this is peculiar to Doritis and it's hybrids? Does anyone out there know?

charlie

Good to know. I only grow a small handful of Phals so I never encountered this before but I did figure that it wasn't good news for the plant. I might get some Keikigrow just to improve my chances...

 

[nikv]

I've heard of this happening with other Dtps Firecracker clones too. Might be something having to do with this particular cross. I dunno. I haven't experienced one of these personally, but I did have a weird terminal growth on my Iwanagara Apple Blossom. The plant hasn't grown since. Of course, it's a sympodial orchid, so maybe that's something completely different. Dtps Firecracker has a monopodial growth habit.

Good luck to you. I hope you can get a keiki out of it.

 

[SlipperFan]

My Dtps. Firecracker never did that, and it looks very different with a bit of a splash on the tips of its petals. But I did see one of Bill Porter's plants, which was a Phal, have the spike coming out of it's crown. The plant died -- no keikis.

 

[charlie c]

My Dtps. Firecracker never did that, and it looks very different with a bit of a splash on the tips of its petals. But I did see one of Bill Porter's plants, which was a Phal, have the spike coming out of it's crown. The plant died -- no keikis.

Dot,

Was the Phal. a mericlone, by any chance? Still wondering (out loud) if this has anything to do with the cloning process used by some sources. Or if this is cultural.

charlie c

 

[SlipperFan]

Dot,

Was the Phal. a mericlone, by any chance? Still wondering (out loud) if this has anything to do with the cloning process used by some sources. Or if this is cultural.

charlie c

I don't remember. I will try to check it out the next time I'm at the greenhouse -- next week. I think Bill will remember it.

 

[charlie c]

I don't remember. I will try to check it out the next time I'm at the greenhouse -- next week. I think Bill will remember it.

Thanks Dot!!

charlie c

 

[Ron-NY]

what a nice color!!!:drool: Hope it gets some basal growths for yu. The last time I had one with a terminal spike I developed 3 basal growths.

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

It's really lovely, I wish you luck!

 

[JeanLux]

very nice color for a phal!!! Would be too bad to loose the plant ! Jean

 

[Bolero]

I think it looks lovely, the colour is great!

 

[Elena]

Thanks guys! I've found somewhere that sells keiki paste so I'm definitely getting some of that. Fingers crossed it'll work.

I also noticed that I posed this in the wrong section but it turned into a bit of a discussion so that's okay, I suppose