Jim, I certainly don't want to discourage any potential orchid grower, but Phals are a poor choice for the SW desert. . If you were to drive a major highway (there's only 1) through that area, there are signs telling you NOT to run your air conditioning. ...because if your vehicle overheats, you're 100 mi. from any services. The west coast snowbirds go there for the winter, but few stay. If Richard has a swamp cooler, and grows as a houseplant, the blooms will last a long time. For a grower to tell him it's an easy orchid to grow is an outright lie! I can't grow them outside here...10 mi. from the coast with reasonable humidity and much lower temps. When I buy a Phal, it's like buying annuals. Pretty, long lasting blooms, but getting one to grow and rebloom takes dedication.
