I have been studying my small tribe of phals this morning, during my usual breakfast with the orchids. I have about a dozen plants, all repotted within the last 6 months. Some are blooming veterans, some are too small for their first spike. A few have struggled, but most are reasonably well adapted to living with me.

But their signs of growth are all over the chart. One is putting up a new leaf, but no new (visible) roots; one has been going to town with new aerial roots, and is throwing a fat new spike--but has yet to grow a new leaf in its time (6 months) with me; another is putting out secondary spike branches on its old spike, and has a leaf coming on--but no new roots; still another looks perfectly healthy, but is just sitting there with no signs of growth at all, while a small new shilleriana started a spike two weeks after arriving and being repotted. Is there a "normal" phal growth pattern? Are the types of growth indicative of the general health and well being of the plant? As much as I love their blooms, I feel more reassured that they are doing well when I see new roots and leaves--especially this time of the year.

Comments?