Has anyone here ever grown a purple leafed Phalaenopsis? I bought one about 2 and a half years ago and have never seen another like it! It is truly stunning with bright magenta flowers! Sadly it came nameless and the label only said 'Collectors Series'.

Here is a photo of when I bought it just coming into bud and showing the dark colour of the leaves.


Here is one where it is in bloom. When in full bloom it had 5 spikes on it at once!

So pretty.

Thank-you, I really enjoy it too! I haven't seen another like it since. And now it is twice as tall as in the picture and has some nice long roots growing out into the air, hopefully all this healthy growth means lots of flowers coming soon!

Sometimes you can trick them by moving them to some more light but not too much for these beauties!

Right now he gets direct morning sun and then indirect light for the rest of the day. He seems to be doing a lot better with the morning sun. Should I just leave it there since it seems to be doing well?

Now I need to ask you about one of my other Phals I've had for about 4 years......I've never repotted it.....it that really bad? I have no idea when they need to be repotted....its in bark and making lots of new growth, looking pretty healthy but a couple of the oldest leaves are dieing off. Is that normal since it's making new ones to replace them? I hope I'm not asking to many questions

Not too many!
I repot when the bark is breaking down. I hate sphagnum because evrything rots here in it. I also pull the plant out and inspect the roots. That helps me decide if I should repot.

Here is a nice article about your purple leafed Phal. Most likely it is due to the Doritis passing on this trait.
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/l...

Thanks, Ursula.

Kathy, I used the sphagnum once before too but didn't like it for the same reason....its too wet and soggy. I checked the roots and there is lots of new green ones growing and also some old dead ones too. I didn't pull it out of the pot since there it roots growing out the drain holes.

Ursula, thank-you for the article, it is very informative!

What is the medium like? Is it in good shape? (Sometimes I have to cut the plastic pots apart to repot because of the roots and sometimes I put pots into larger pots.)

I can't really see the medium but there is little bits stuck to the side of the pot so its probably breaking down......I think I'll take it outside it pull it from the pot to see whats going on.......

I have a purple leaf orchid that I saved from my parents house. I'm often taking their plants that need special attention to live. That said a few of the leaves still have wrinkles on them but when I got it the leaves were closed tight. Now they are open and there is a new leaf forming and I'm excited to see it bloom someday! I'll let you know if they to are bright pink.

Boy, we have resurrected an old thread huh?!
The purple leaf color is from anthocyanin pigments. Some clones of Doritis pulcherrima have real purple leaves. Well it is not that the leaves are purple as
much as it is an excess of the anthocyanin pigment that causes the purple colored wash. The base color is still green.The darker the pigment, the more vibrant amethyst or purple are the flowers.
But everything about those clones has a purple cast, the root tips are more purple then typical as is the inflorescence! I suspect that this may either be a tetraploid Doritis pulcherrima or a primary hybrid with another purple species. But without knowing its parentage or seeing the plant close up, I can't say for sure.