Phal. amabilis
close-up
AMABILIS
At-A-Glance
>
double spikes
> smaller
round white blooms
> arching,
or branched spikes
>
long-lasting flowers
>ovoid
leaves
>hold more
leaves than
many
hybrids
(Above) Young
plant blooming in
a 3.5" pot with a single
spike.
(Right) same plant a year
later.
|
Phalaenopsis amabilis is one
of the best-known of the
phalaenopsis orchid species. It
looks like a slightly smaller
version of the white hybrids
that are so easily available
today. Well, this little gem
has been used to breed those
large white phalaenopsis
hybrids!
In nature its range is quite
wide from Australia to
Indonesia and the Philippines.
It's an epiphytes growing
high in trees either in
dense forests or sometimes,
close to the ocean.
Phalaenopsis amabilis is
actually quite easy to grow and
adaptable. Given its native
habitat, it will thrive in
temperatures from 65° at night
to 85° during the day. Low
night temperatures are more
important in the fall and
winter months to induce
blooming which often takes
place over several months
during the spring, and early
summer as the flowers are
very long-lasting. It's fairly
typical for the species to
produce two spikes at the same
time when
mature with blooms
neatly arranged on either side
of the spike. That leaves of
the species tend to be more
oval in shape and the plant is
quite attractive even when not
in flower.
This species has been
bred to produce round
well shaped flowers with
a crystalline texture,
far removed from the more
open flowers of their
wild ancestors. Many
wonderful new cultivars
are emerging from Taiwan
that produce more, and
better quality, blooms.
The standard for these is
so high that just about
any modern day
phalaenopsis amabilis
cultivar should produce
beautiful
flowers.
Many of these are
tetraploids(4N) which means
they have twice number of
chromosomes as regular plants.
This results in larger more
robust plants and flowers than
usual. While tetraploid are
often slower growing,
this does not seem to
matter much in the case of
phalaenopsis which grow
continuously throughout the
year. So if you see see a
tetraploid cross for sale(look
for 4n on the label) and they
do show up, be sure to grab
it!
|