Phalaenopsis (
Sedirea)
japonica does not need as high of a humidity as you guys think they do.
They do just fine outdoors here in semi-arid Los Angeles County, all year round.
I know that "Pilot" grows in an area that is much higher in altitude than LA, and the air is often drier than it is here, but the issue of humidity is not quite as pressing as it would be with tropical Phals, generally speaking.
A moderate humidity of 50% - 60% is good enough.
The more I'm reading about "Pilot's" issues with roots stalling, the more I'm thinking it is a genetic problem, not necessarily something you can do anything about.
The "standard form" is the wild form. All the other ones are genetic mutations.
A good analogy would be goldfish.
Goldfish are mutated forms of carp. Goldfish will tend to have a variety of physiological problems compared to their "normal" counterparts, (aka the wild type/form), the carp. The swimbladder problem with goldfish where they will flip upside down and float belly up, is the result of the mutation of a stout body form.
Like I said, the stalling may be a result of the genetic mutation.
While I'm still not 100% sure about it, the details provided appear to be pointing in this direction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnonYMouse
This isn't the place I saw the news but what came up when reality checking: New classifications
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I'm not terribly surprised that
Sedirea japonica got absorbed into the genus Phalaenopsis. They look exactly like Phals vegetatively. In fact, when they are not in bloom, the wild forms are pretty indistinguishable from a tropical Phalaenopsis.
They also grow very much like a temperate Phal, as I've mentioned before.
They've never looked like anything I'd recognize as an Aerides vegetatively, (for those who weren't aware, yes, Sedirea is Aerides spelled backwards).
The only thing that vaguely resembles an Aerides are the flowers of
Phalaenopsis (
Sedirea)
japonica.