Onc. Twinkle. Perfect for beginners?

[Jerry Delaney]

After all these years, I wonder if I have been giving bum advice. I believe that lots of orchid growers, including me, advise beginners to start with a Phal. Looking at it in retrospect, I wonder if that advice is still as valid as it might have been some years ago. I sometimes think it was a good answer because nearly everyone could access Phals locally and could provide conditions suitable for their culture. This Onc. Twinkle is in a 5" pot as is it's red cousin which, while not open yet, has even more buds than this one. I have moved them around the greenhouse a number of times this year to make room for other plants. It didn't seem to care where it was placed. These things are like weeds!! There are many other orchids that, in my opinion, are much easier to grow and flower than Phals (which for me seem susceptible to every fungus, bacteria, virus as well as low tolerance to physical growing factors). I would really appreciate other orchid growers thoughts on this subject.