Phal season has finally begun

[Mr.Fakename]

Lots of spikes on their way - at last, this spring was very disappointing.


Let's start with the very popular Phal Sweet Memory:



I'm not really into run-off-the-mill hybrids, but I have to say those giant flowers are impressive. 13cm for the first flowers, currently 14cm (5.1 - 5.5 inches)



A "mini" NoID that grew into a 13 leaves monster. I think it's a Phalaenopsis Chingruey's Goldstaff or something related.



Phal violacea alba, a classic of Phal species, in a somehow rare form.



Phal cochlearis; for some reason a species that stayed rare in collections. Easy to grow and bloom, floriferous and definitely unique, highly recommended.

[neophyte]

Awesome!

[rbarata]

Beautiful flowers!
As a side note, my phal season is finishing.

[SADE2020]

Enjoy your blooms and thanks for sharing!

@Rbarata do you really have Phal season? No reblooms after spring?

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

@Rbarata do you really have Phal season? No reblooms after spring?

Never had reblooms. All my phals never did and they have a season like clockwork. They always start to show some blooms around march and by this time the flowers start to die.
But all this depends on the species/hybrid that can have different blooming habits and seasons.

[estación seca]

Yes, we care for them!

[SADE2020]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Yes, we care for them!

Ohhh ES, I didn't mean to said no care, like no care, wrong said from my part. Sorry. This is the biggest orchid saver place in the 🏥 world and with the best specialists.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by SADE2020

Ohhh ES, I didn't mean to said no care, like no care, wrong said from my part. Sorry. This is the biggest orchid saver place in the 🏥 world and with the best specialists.

I understood you to mean because they're common, some people don't enjoy them as much as other orchids. But we do! To care in English means both cuidar and importar(se).

[camille1585]

Very nice Phals! That violacea alba is beautiful with those tinges of green on the tips of the petals.

I sadly agree with the comment that people often don't care for Phals. They are seen as run of the mill 'starter' orchids and once you are a real grower you move on to 'rarer' and more 'interesting' plants. I'm certainly not saying everyone is like that and it's a also a matter of personal taste, but it is certainly common enough. Just last week I read a post in the dutch orchid society FB group where someone was whining that EU vendors sell too many 'boring' Phals and wanted better orchids....

My collection consists mainly of Phals, and I don't think people realize how many great species and primary hybrids there are. Many species will easily grow in temperate/intermediate conditions and only a couple a true obligate warm growers, at least in my experience.

[Mr.Fakename]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Beautiful flowers!
As a side note, my phal season is finishing.

Thanks! And that's wild, I thought we roughly had the same climate and would be on the same page.
Spring bloomers were very late and had few flowers here, we've had one of the worst spring ever recorded.

Originally Posted by camille1585

Very nice Phals! That violacea alba is beautiful with those tinges of green on the tips of the petals.

Thanks, you have some very neat plants yourself! I'm expecting showier Phal soon, if I don't mess it up
This violacea has been crossed with a blue Malaysian violacea, I'm really curious to see how the blooms will turn out!


The problem with "boring Phal" is that the market is overloaded with white/pink hybrids with huge flowers/high flower count and equestris type miniatures.
There are literally thousands and thousands of uniquely registered Phal that end up being 98% schilleriana or amabilis.

They are cloned by millions and sold for cheap, in bad condition, a lot of the time with mutations, without a name, all over the world.

I think it associates Phal with starter orchids because, well, that's what they are in most cases.
When you start getting deeper into the hobby and you see all these plants with fancy names, flowers, growth habits, awards etc; it's hard justifying spending on a supermarket Phal when you can grab something much more thrilling.

Like you say Camille, people don't necessarily realise there's much more to Phalaenopsis than what they think.