Phal KS Martin ‘Tris Blue’
Phalaenopsis KS Martin ‘Tris Blue’
(Phal Purple Martin x Phal equestris)
Another purchase from BigLeafOrchids.com, this orchid definitely produces a profusion of blooms! Chek out the closeup. It looks like someone sprinkled the flowers with sparkly sugar. I have several similar orchids on my wish list, including Phal tetrapsis, Phal Pinlong Cheris and Phal Mini Mark. I don’t detect any fragrance, but it does put on a glorious show! It can rebloom from the same spike, but more often it produces keikis, which then produce their own blooms. I separated and potted the first keiki after it grew its own root system. Thereafter, I’ve decided to leave the keikis on the plant, making for a very nice display. The pic above shows the orchid with one the newest keiki, attached and in bloom, and the other in the same pot, on the right.
History and Features
This hybrid is a cross between Phalaenopsis Purple Martin and Phalaenopsis equestris. With P. equestris as one parent, this hybrid tends to be more compact in size with smaller, but numerous flowers.
Culture
The information below is the best I could come up with. I assume it grows like a typical summer phal. I will update as I gather more details.
Temperature
Intermediate to warm growing
Warmer than standard hybrids due to species parentage
Minimum temperature 60°F (16°C)
Light
Brighter light than standard Phals
East window or filtered south light
Some early morning sun beneficial
Leaves should be light to medium green
Red tinge indicates maximum acceptable light
Does well under LED lights
Water
Keep consistently moist
Allow slight drying between waterings
More frequent watering than complex hybrids
Water quality important due to species influence
Morning watering recommended
Higher humidity (60-70%) beneficial
Good air movement essential
Potting and Media
Small to medium pots (species influence)
Small/medium bark
Can be mounted due to compact size
Don't overpot - roots prefer to be snug
Additional Notes
Sequential blooming tendency. Don’t cut off spike after blooming, since it can rebloom from the same spike.
Multiple bloom spikes possible
More compact than standard Phals, but it will take up more space as it grows new keikis.
Regular but weak fertilizer, 1/2 tsp per gallon
May bloom multiple times per year. Mine blooms in the summer only.
Flowers smaller and more abundant than complex hybrids
More warmth-loving than complex hybrids. Mine doesn’t seem to care where I put it.
