I don't even stake my phals anymore. Just not worth the hassle. For me, I don't care if my flowers present at awkward angles, as long as they resrnt, period :)

I admit I care. Though looking back at photo's of this one's last bloom in 2011, I'll probably leave it to to its own thing next time. It's a tiny plant. I have another phal who's spike is still a couple of weeks from flowering, and it's 24 inches long, with two little branches coming off the sides. I stake it to keep it from getting broken or knocked into, because it sits in a bit of a high-traffic area. And again, I do love the way the flowers look cascading down from a stake.

You can slowly, slowly 'train' that flower to straighten up... Usually can use the main stem/spike to help re-orient.

Good growing,

Bob

My phal stem is much longer than that with big white blooms. I take a thin piece of wire and cover it with florist tape. Wrap it around the stake and make a small hook on the other end. Take the stem gently and put it in the hook. Voila! It stands up.

I'll leave this one alone, and see how the other flowers open. I may just unstake it and let the spike lean over the way it wants to.

My other one has yellow blooms. That spike just gets clipped to a stick ... this time around with a twee little purple bee clip included as a free gift in an order from rePotme.