Any advice for a complete beginner....

[JamesEG]

Thanks for everyone's help, I'll give all your tips a try and hopefully I'll have an update on the Phal if it gets any better! I'll also find out if there's any way I can get to Kew Gardens!

I also have one last question, are there any types of Phals that have more requirements to grow than others, or are they all happy in roughly the same conditions? Also what classifies as a species Phal? I found the Phals at Burnham Nurseries and they all have names like Phalaenopsis Fancy Fresco or Phalaenopsis Dark Edge, so I'm not sure if they are species, as I would prefer to get one that's not a NoID Phal, I'm thinking it might help knowing the exact species for knowing the care requirements.

I found another website selling orchids (orchidspecies.co.uk) and it has orchids like Phal Hieroglyphica and Phal billina, are these more well known species and just as simple to care for as other Phals like the ones in garden centres?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

There are 2 very general types of Phalaenopsis:

1. Subtropical Phals

2. Tropical Phals

Subtropical Phals will have general care requirements similar to each other.

Tropical Phals will have general care requirements similar to each other.

Similar does not = exact same.

The Phals you mentioned, (Phal Fancy Fresco and Phal Dark Edge), are both named hybrids.

The following would be some examples of species Phals:

Phalaenopsis amabilis
Phalaenopsis amboinensis
Phalaenopsis aphrodite
Phalaenopsis bastianii
Phalaenopsis bellina
Phalaenopsis corningiana
Phalaenospis cornu-cervi
Phalaenopsis mannii
Phalaenopsis philippinensis
Phalaenopsis sanderiana
Phalaenopsis schilleriana
Phalaenopsis stuartiana
Phalaenopsis tetraspis
Phalaenopsis violacea

Here are the links to some basic culture info and photos of the Phals listed. They are on a site called Jay's Internet Orchid Encyclopedia:

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

IOSPE PHOTOS

Also, notice the difference between the species names, which have a capitalized genus name (example: Phalaenopsis), and a lower case species name, (example: amabilis)

Notice also, the species names are italicized, (example: Phalaenopsis violacea).

The hybrid names are not italicized. The genus name is capitalized, but the other parts of the names are also capitalized, (example: Phalaenopsis Fancy Fresco).

[JamesEG]

Ah okay thanks Philip that clears that up, I'll have a look through that list too and see if there's any that I would be able to take good care of

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

From the list of Phal species I put up, the following gets honorable mention for being pretty forgiving:

Phal amabilis
Phal amboinensis
Phal aphrodite
Phal bastianii
Phal cornu-cervi
Phal mannii
Phal philippinensis
Phal sanderiana
Phal schilleriana
Phal stuartiana

I'll add that Phal equestris is a good one to start with too.

[JamesEG]

Okay thanks a lot Philip, very helpful! I'll look up those ones and see if I can find any of them on the internet