Phalanopsis lips

[Diane56Victor]

Just scored a couple of standard phals from Bunnings for $5 each. They were, of course, on their way out, limp leaves, no flowers, dry as a bone media, but what better way to try out a new genus.

All I've done so far is give the poor things a drink.

I noticed on the other blooming plants the phals have different lips, some are like a full skirt, others are more like fangs.

Different care? Particular parent species?

Can someone explain further about the differences please?

[ArronOB]

I don’t think it’s possible. They are such a pea soup of mixed genetics that you can’t be certain about anything.

Also, I doubt breeders would be interested in offering different conditions to different hybrids. They are just grown all in together, as diversification reduces profit.

I have a read that the standard large flowered red and white hybrids are winter flowerers and the yellows are summer, but that might have been a long time ago as not so now.

Anyway $5 is a good price for rescue jobs. In all our local shops they get rid of the spent plants immediately. I guess the wholesalers take them back for some reason although I can’t figure out why they would want them. It’s only in the regional areas where you can get the rescue jobs, my guess is the transport issues become too great.

[Ray]

The complete lip structure is diagnostic in the species, and while some features in those of hybrids might give you an indication that “there must be some of <that> in it”, I agree that you’ll not get much benefit in guessing that.

[DeaC]

No xpert here but the trend has been to develop phals with "big lips" which I happen to find attractive and buy. Google "big lip orchids" and perhaps what you've seen will show up and tempt you!

[Diane56Victor]

Thank you all for your comments.

I thought because of hybridization and standardization of care for the general public it might be too difficult, but worth a try as the lips are just so different.

Just for my own interest I did a bit of looking while waiting for replies to my question. I found a web page,
Les Orchidees Phalaenopsis botaniques et hybrides primaires
with pictures of different species.
The philippinensis has the same type lip but the schilleriana has the same petal and sepal form as the one remaining bloom on one of my new acquisitions.
I realise this knowledge wont change care of my plants, but the hunt for information is good for the mind.

ArronOB
It is strange the plants disappear, it would seem unlikely the wholesaler gets them back, it would be a logistical nightmare for them.
I have heard a commercial Cymbidium grower say that the big growers/wholesalers in Europe have no interest in returning plants to their greenhouses for reasons of logistics, space and hygiene, so I would think the same would apply here. Possibly they get snapped up quickly by local buyers....I know they do here!

An orchid growing friend said they had bought some reduced phals at our local regional Bunnings but despite random visits I could never seem to find any....I guess other members of my local orchid club got there first 😁

So I changed tactics, I got a mini phal for $5 by looking on the display shelves and finding one that had no flowers and asking the cashier if they would reduce it.
My latest purchase was a case of right time and noticing the shopping trolley with a few reduced phals.

Maybe if you ask the garden manager at your local Bunnings they might keep a few aside for you or at least give you call before they put them out as reduced or bin them.

[ArronOB]

Here in NSW the live-plant side of Bunnings is actually contracted out. The Bunnings staff work the registers and non-living supplies like media, pots and garden furniture. I expect the deal is to only have quality, saleable plants on site and to have the spent plants removed as quickly as possible. Considering how many plants must escape sale, across all categories, the policy is perhaps just to remove and pulp them as quickly as possible to maximise selling space and profit.

Retail is its own little mystery world.

[Diane56Victor]

Originally Posted by ArronOB

Here in NSW the live-plant side of Bunnings is actually contracted out. The Bunnings staff work the registers and non-living supplies like media, pots and garden furniture.

Retail is its own little mystery world.

Interesting. I just took it for granted the staff in the garden section were employed by Bunnings.
Maybe you are right about plants returning to the source, especially if the plants are cared for by employees of the grower while at Bunnings.

[ArronOB]

Originally Posted by Diane56Victor

Interesting. I just took it for granted the staff in the garden section were employed by Bunnings.
Maybe you are right about plants returning to the source, especially if the plants are cared for by employees of the grower while at Bunnings.

Not the grower, but a specialised company that’s more like a wholesaler/service provider.

As far as I can tell, the growers of these plants are in Asia. Imported bare rooted and in early spike. The local nurseries might grow them on for a short period before sending them out in flower. I can’t be sure of this because the local growers websites are obscure on the matter, I think they deliberately avoid saying whether they really grow them (ie from seedling size) or not.

[Ray]

I cannot speak for Bunnings, of course, but in the case of some larger retail stores here, out-of-bloom phals are picked up by the distributor and trashed or composted (mostly the former).

From a labor/cost/space utilization perspective, it makes more sense (and money) to import>wholesale>retrieve>dispose, than to import>wholesale>retrieve>grow on for 9-12 and months and respike>resell.

Don’t forget that the plants are imported from Taiwan for around $1 each, and wholesaled for $5. No greenhouse needed - nor the associated construction costs, labor costs, water, fertilizer, pesticides, heating or cooling, or repotting.