Question
QUESTION: I was given a beautiful Phalenopsis with several pink blooms that lasted for over two months.
When the last pink bloom dropped I cut that branch off and the second branch of the same stem produced white flowers.
How can this be???
I went to the local Lowes and all the Phalenopsis they had were white. I think they had other colors earlier in the year.

Thank you,

Ralph Ambrose

ANSWER: No Ralph, I have not heard of two different colors on different branches of the same flower spike.  It is, however, not uncommon to have two flower spike from, what appears to be, the same plant.  This happens when a grower places two plants in the same pot.  It may appear that there is one plant, but, there are two different plants that flower with different colors. Another possibility is that the white flowers will gradually turn pink as water soluble pinkment migrates to newly opening flowers.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Is it possible to dye white phalenopsis blooms pink?  I find it hard to believe when the color on mine lasted for over two months without fading.

Ralph


Answer
It may be possible but I have never heard of an instance of this being attempted.  Since both pink and white are the most common colors for phalaenopsis, as you pointed out, it is not difficult to find pink phalaenopsis without going through the task of staining the white flowers pink.  Also, it is likely that any dye used to attempt to stain a white phalaenopsis is likely to adversely affect the flower, depending upon the solvent used to create the dye solution. It just doesn't make sense that anyone would try the staining.  There are phalaenopsis called harlequins that have white with various splashes of pink which, at least to me, are more attractive then either plain pink or white.  It would be interesting to see a picture of the plant and the front and back sides of the flower.