Not your grandma's Phalaenopsis

[Roberta]

I debated where to put this... if I chose Phalaenopsis, I'd have to put the parent species in one place and the primary hybrid in another. If I put them in Vandaceous-Other, they all would fit nicely, except that with reclassification they're all Phalaenopsis. So... here we are. Both parents, and the primary hybrid are all in bloom. Two monotypic genera (Hygrochilus and Sedirea) got lumped into Phalaenopsis, monotypic genera do tend to encounter that fate.

We have Sedirea japonica (now Phalanopsis japonica), a small, fragrant species. Growth habit rather Vanda-like. And we have Hygrochilus (Vandopsis) parishii (now Phalaenopsis hygrochila) a rather large (and fragrant) species with monster roots (see Root Porn page 45, 6-19-2023) No medium at all (the part that was in bark rotted away, the roots are very happy in the open air) So that's rather Vanda-like. And a photo with the two species together, so you can see relative size. For scale, the Hygrochilus parishii is in, or rather on, an 8 inch (20 cm) basket.

[Roberta]

And then there's the hybrid of the two, Vandopirea (Phalaenopsis) Little One. Fragrant (from both parents) and intermediate between two in size. Enjoy!

Both species and the hybrid are very cold-tolerant, growing happily on my patio all year around. (Winter lows around 40 deg F and occasionally lower but with temperate days, summer highs usually around 85 deg F but occasionally well into the 90's F)

[Leafmite]

I love the range of sizes that are available in orchids.

After they began to lump the different orchids together under 'Phals' and 'Cattleyas', I decided just to lump together all the 'Vanda-type' orchids on my orchid list...Angraecums, Phals, Haraella, Leptotes, falcata, Schoenorchis....all Vandas. I figure it is going to happen soon, anyway.

[Roberta]

Not just the sizes... but the range of habitats. Warm-growing ones, cool-growing ones, in-betweens...Something for everybody, but nobody can grow them all, at least not without a lot of trouble and expense.

[Jmoney]

very nice Roberta! I'm new to sedirea but I have become a big fan of this species. love the bold hydrochila - do you find it grows like sedirea?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Jmoney

very nice Roberta! I'm new to sedirea but I have become a big fan of this species. love the bold hydrochila - do you find it grows like sedirea?

I grow the two side by side. The Sedirea is mounted, the Hygrochilus started out in in a big plastic basket with some medium (think I used large bark), the medium is gone and the oldest roots, which were in it, are gone. But it rooted through the holes in the basket which is what holds it in place, and now the roots just hang down, running free.

[DirtyCoconuts]

and the best part is the 'little one' grow happily down here too.

this is a great thread, roberta, thanks!

[Roberta]

Both parents grow over a wide range of elevations, so tolerate cool but don't require it. Little One has the best of both parents, IMHO.