New from Pa - Our First Orchid - Unlabeled

[DAve Terwilliger]

HI all,

We were at Produce Junction yesterday. They always have inexpensive Orchids. I picked up one that caught my eye and you daughter Paige said "Good I wanted an Orchid". So, it came home with us. It is unlabeled and had a large plastic shield on it. Do I keep it on?

I have attached a photo in case someone out there can identify it and tell me if I got something a novice can handle.

Thanks!

Dave T

[RosieC]

Hi Dave and welcome to Orchid Board

I would remove the plastic wrapper, it's usually just for protection in the store and it can inhibit good air movement in the long run.

It looks like a Phalaenopsis, which many people consider a good beginners orchid (that's what I started with). There are a couple of care sheets here.
Phalaenopsis - Orchid Board
AOS | Phalaenopsis

It will be almost impossible to get a more acurate name for it as it looks like a hybrid of many different Phalaenopsis species and losts of those are made without ever registering them. Even if you find something it looks like you can never be sure unless it came with a label. We call unregistered hybrids NoID and they are just as pretty, most of my Phals are NoID.

It also looks to be 'peloric'. This is a word used to describe the fact that the petals are mimicing the lip to either a greater or lesser degree. In your case I think it is the reason that the petals are still curled in to the center, with the sepals open and flat. In a standard Phal hybrid flower both the petals and the sepals would be flat and open.

[Zoi2]

Hello and welcome to the OB.
Cool peloric you've got there.
Joann

[Ray]

Where in PA, Dave?

I'm in the Doylestown area.