Taiwan's Gems: Phalaenopsis Orchids, Part 3

Orchid breeders have indeed come a long way.

This is best seen in the case of the fancy colored phalaenopsis. Taiwan is  THE leader in this area at this point in time, something that the US have been quite famous for many years ago.

Below are some photos taken from a few shops selling phals in Taiwan. These are basically red- spotted, pink-spotted or striped ones.

Spotted phals can either have a few dainty spots to so many spots that the color almost look like its solid. The spots can either be pink to red to almost maroon. The flowers can be small to large in size and the patterns of spotting can take so many variations.

Red-spotted phalaenopsis

Below is a good example of solid and dispersed spotting on a single flower,  and on a miniature plant at that!

This is a spotted large-sized bloom.

(Left) The contrast between the white base and the deep red-violet spot have to be seen to be believed.  Though the flowers are only medium-sized and the length of the spike is short compared to most, the color is breathtaking.

 A group of uniformly grown, tissue-cultured red-spotted beauties.

This surely is one of the most attractive spotted phals I have seen so far.  The flowers are huge, beautifully contrasting red and white, good shape, long spike with lots of flowers.  

A plant I would have wanted to bring home, if given the chance.  

This is a good example of progressive breeding where the outstanding traits of two plants are brought together through breeding and hopefully transfer these traits to the offsprings. 

 Obviously a big standard white was crossed with a strongly red-spotted plant and the outcome shows the two characteristics really well.

I was quite surprised with the picture above as the actual plant is very pretty and was one of those that immediately caught my attention given the huge number of plants in bloom.

Unfortunately, it did not register quite well in the photograph.  Just like with humans, I must concede that some flowers are more photogenic than others.


To round up the red spotted phals, here is a medium sized bloom that really photographed well,




Pink-spotted phalaenopsis

The quality of spotting in phals have improved over the years.  The intensity of color, the evenness of distribution have all been better thanks to the dedication of breeders and fanciers.

Unlike the large whites or even the pinks, what may be improved with these types would be the number of flowers per spike as these do not send out as many.  The arrangement of the flowers on the spike may also be improved.  

The main reason for this is the characteristic of the original species from which the colors were derived.  Whereas whites and pinks would have large flowers on long spikes, the yellows and dark reds and lavenders typically have small flowers and few flowers per spike.

This flower is a definite shoo-in for an award in any show.  It has all the qualities of a show winner.  The individual flower is large, more than 3.5" with very thick substance, good color and pleasing shape.

The patience of the growers in nurturing these plants in Taiwan which is easily seen from the quality of the roots, leaves and spike, is amazing.

Serious hobbyist could actually equal such care on a limited basis, with only a handful of plants to look after.

With the volume that Taiwan nurseries produce,  one cannot help but admire that  the quality has not been compromised.  Even while the numbers have gone beyond hundreds to the thousands, one can expect, and see, the same outstanding culture and plant quality.

WOW!

The striped phalaenopsis


Striped phalaenopsis are formed when the base color of the flower and the veins would have a contrast in color.  The contrast may be in the form of difference in shade (light versus dark) or seemingly two different colors altogether.

There are standard-sized striped phals but the the most interesting to me personally are either the small or the medium sized ones.

One of the best looking I saw during this trip is this medium-sized striped phal.  The contrast is so beautifully distributed and the shape is likewise good.  The spike is also branching resulting to potentially more flowers for each spike.

There are also those with more subtle striping, low key and understated.

Beautiful enough to eat! The pink-orange mix of the color makes these look like flowers in a cake or colored candies shaped like flowers.

So many beautiful flowers, so little time, so small a greenhouse. . . . .

Taiwan's Gems: Phalaenopsis Orchids, Part 2

The phalaenopsis is called "mariposa" or butterfly orchid in the Philippines.   As a country, the Philippines is home to the most number  of the species of this type of orchid. Most of the species with large flowers are white while those with pink flowers either have mostly small or medium-sized blooms.  Among those with the biggest pink flowers is phalaenopsis schelliriana popularly known as "tiger orchid" in Manila due to the spotted or banded leaves.  Others like phalaenopsis equestris have small flowers.

Due to the persistence of breeders, not only did the flowers become bigger, almost rivaling the large whites in size but the color has also become more intense, called "hot pink" by orchid fanciers.

Taiwan has all shades and sizes - from the biggest flowers with the darkest tone to the smallest with the most delicate shade.

Most of these pink phals started out to be inferior to the large whites in terms of size.  However, the best ones are almost equal to the whites in terms of floriferousness and size.  The picture on the left shows a spike of pink phalaenopsis that other than the color may be mistaken for a large white.

This impressive spike length comes from the age and health of the plant.  The maturity of the plant and the quality of care it has been given will be reflected in the length of the flower spike.

The picture on the right are of spikes from young plants.  By the next flowering, these could very well be as long as the one on the left.

Since these plants are clones, they look exactly alike with the only difference being in the number of flowers in a spike.  Some keen observers and growers note however that with superior culture, the flower quality in terms of size and substance can still improve.

These type of orchids like filtered light and good air circulation. While they like high humidity, they simply could not stand areas with little or no air circulation and will easily succumb to all kinds of diseases.

The species are found on branches and trunks of trees where they are receiving dappled sunlight.  Very few can survive full sun exposure without being burned.

Size difference is easy to perceive but substance has to be assessed mostly by touch to be appreciated. It may take someone with a little bit of knowledge to point out the difference initially but once one gets the hang of it, it becomes quite easy to see the differences.

To the left is a picture of first-time bloomers.  Note the relative shortness of the flower spike with six to eight flowers and buds per spike.  More mature plants like the ones on the right,  will have about ten flowers per spike while those that are older will have 14  or more flowers

The pink phalaenopsis come in different shades.  The clone above is pale/pastel pink and is almost like a debutante, oozing sweetness and innocence.

The one below provides contrast between the dark pink petals and sepals and the white lip and middle portion of the flower. These plants are first bloomers as evidenced by the short spike and fewer flowers.

Here again (right and below) is contrast in another form.
This variety features a pale pink base suffused with a darker pink in the center with the lip showing a distinct yellow for a three way color  combination.

Yet another variant is the pink with splash-like pattern on the petals and sepals making for a most interesting bloom. Both the pictures on the right and below show this pattern contrasting only in terms of the darkness of the pink base color.

All these flowers are first-time bloomers so it would be really beautiful to see these plants flowering at a more mature stage.

Phalaenopsis has emerged as the most cultivated orchid primarily due to its ability to keep its bloom for a long period of time, the ease with which it may be kept indoors in the western home which is cool and dry, and the ease of inducing the plant to flower in the commercial nursery.

Like a lot of orchids, the phals will flower if it experiences a temperature drop between day and evening temperatures.  This condition is easily created in commercial greenhouses which have airconditioning or cooling systems.  Thus this orchid is available all year round.

Miniatures are also very interesting as far as phals are concerned.  From very light to very dark pink shades, from a single display to a grouping of equally beautiful dwarf plants, only one word could properly describe this type of phals:  beautiful!

Above is a mass display of miniature pink phals while below shows plants with blooms that are almost pink lavender in color. Notice the beautifully rounded and branching spikes.

The blushing phals to the right has a very sweet color combination reminiscent of semi-alba (white with red or lavender lip).  The miniature variety makes for a very handy gift or houseplant.  It takes up a very small space and will look perfect in a spot where a normal-sized phals will look cramped.  It may also be mixed with its bigger relative to provide contrast.

The one below is another multi-plant display showcasing a group of very healthy and showy pink phalaenopis. The plants are quite small, but the flowers are already giving a most spectacular show.

And yet another group shot,

Taiwan's Gems: Phalaenopsis Orchids, Part 1

Visiting Taiwan without noticing a single phalaenopsis in bloom is very very unlikely.  Phals are everywhere:  malls, shops, offices, banks, stores, homes, etc.  And the good thing is, the prices are very affordable and the quality extremely high.

Taiwan IS the mother lode of phalaenopsis production.  It is said that more than 50% of all the phalaenopsis traded worldwide came from this country.  For us filipinos, this is not such a good situation considering that our country is high on the list of the sources of genetic materials that were used to produce these extremely beautiful blooms from which Taiwan is making tons of dollars now.

There are so many photographs that I will be posting them as a series again.  I have tried to group the photos by flower size and color so as to put a system. Due to advancements in breeding sometimes the line gets a bit confused but since I am not putting in the registered names (the sellers could not understand me and there are no labels anyway) I hope that you can just enjoy the beauty of the flowers and not be too fuzzy with the names.

These photos were taken of plants displayed in the stalls in the Holiday Market and at an orchid shop in a small (not more than 1,000 sq.m. total area) complex made up of a number of small plant shops.  A lot of these plants are so well grown and the flowers are award quality.  I will not be surprised if I am informed that these are clones of awarded plants.

So let us start with the basics, white flowers, large to small -

The white beauty to the right is more than two feet long and the flowers are almost saucer sized.  One cannot help but admire the care that was given to this plant, clearly visible from the quality of the leaves to the damage free condition of the spike of flowers. Transporting plants with such long spikes will require considerable attention to details as a single wrong move would easily bruise the flowers.


At the left photo, we have the same spike on the right side with a shorter spike for comparison.

In ordinary competitions in Manila, the one to the left would already be considered for an award while the one on the right will be a strong contender for best phalaenopsis in show or even best orchid in show.

In Taiwan however, the competition is much tougher and past winners have been a meter long with excellent flower quality to boot.

Awed as I am with the large  white phals, I found the white miniatures quite intriguing.  These are crosses of the white form of phalaenopsis equestris which is native to the Philippines.  While the flowers are small, there are numerous flowers on a branching spike.


The first white miniature that I saw in the weekend market was a real charmer but I had very little time  then so the colored ones got the most of my attention.  However, in the garden compound where I had more time on my hands, I found myself going back to a group of white miniatures pictured right.

These were arranged in a ceramic pot ready to be given away as a gift.  The plants were sufficiently spaced which showcased each flower spike quite well.

On closer inspection, the flowers were not pure white but has a very slight tinge of pink which gave them a more delicate air, as may be seen in the close-up photo to the left.

Due to the complex breedings being done, sometimes very interesting results are obtained.  Below is the flower of a miniature plant, judging from the leaf/plant size but with flowers that are more on the medium size (about 2.5 inches wide).  In a short while I am sure there will be miniature plants with standard large flowers!










Next post, we will have the pinks.