Question on mini phals - Orchid Board

Mugsie · #1 03-09-2023, 06:17 PM

Lately I've been seeing a lot on mini phals for sale. In fact, BJs had them today for $5 each. There were some very nice colors and I was tempted to get a few, but would rather they were standard sized. Are these minis, always minis? Will they grow larger like the "standard" ones, or have they been treated or bred to stay small?
Thanks all....

Roberta · #2 03-09-2023, 06:28 PM

Mini-Phals will tend to stay small - they were bred for that characteristic, by including species with small stature (and often, branching inflorescences), and small flowers. Great for people with limited space. The "standard sized" ones are bred with parents that are naturally larger, with larger flowers. So it's not a "treatment", but rather ancestry. If all of your ancestors are 5.5 ft tall or less, you are not likely to play basketball in the NBA. If you want a standard-sized Phal, you should focus on buying a mature (blooming is great) plant of that size and type.

Mugsie · #3 03-09-2023, 10:38 PM

Thanks Roberta. I suspected it was genetic as opposed to a growth retardant hormone. There are some impressive flowers, but for whatever reason, I tend to like the larger ones better, although several of the minis on a cork mount might be a worthy project for me.

Roberta · #4 03-10-2023, 12:05 AM

There are a lot of Phal species, with different characteristcs, just as there are with other genera. So, for instance, the big ones tend to have Phal. amabalis, Phal aphrodite, Phal. philippinensis and similar species in their background. The minis with lots of branching likely have Phal equestris in their ancestry. The ones with heavy substance and a starry shape often have Phal bellina or violacea or relatives in their ancestry. Lots of variations on the theme for hybridizers to work with. They will blend in other species for color or pattern or form, but these are some of the "foundation" species for different types.

Dimples · #5 03-10-2023, 12:45 AM

I have a trio of minis blooming right now and it’s really fun to have on the coffee table, there’s one standard size phal displayed too. Three standard sized phals would be too much for the space. I think of the minis as bonus plants. They’re like dessert, there’s always room somewhere for them.