Phalaenopsis pallens

Also known as: Pale Colored Phalaenopsis or Phalaenopsis foerstermannii Phalaenopsis pallens f. fourmaniana Phalaenopsis pallens var. alba Phalaenopsis pallens var. trullifera Phalaenopsis pallens f. alba Phalaenopsis foerstermanii Phalaenopsis lueddemanniana var. pallens Phalaenopsis pallens var. denticulata Phalaenopsis denticulata Phalaenopsis mariae var. alba in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Central Luzon - Philippines

General Information

Pale Colored Phalaenopsis is a monopodial warm to hot growing epiphytic orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Philippines.

Plant Description

Monopodial. Each new growth has numerous thick erect, elliptic, oblong shaped leaves that grow to 4.5-18cm long

Substrate(s)

• Bark
• Charcoal
• Spaghnum Moss
• Perlite

Care Notes

These orchids live in environments that receive constant moisture, high humidity, and are surrounded by other plants such as ferns and mosses which not only attract moisture but compete for it as well.

As a consequence they can be difficult to keep healthy in an artificial environment where a constant balance has to be maintained between providing constant moisture to the roots, but also allowing them to not become soggy and dry quickly as they would in the wild. For this reason it's important to take into account the size of the plant, the health and fragility of the root system, and also think about your watering habits. If you water frequently you can use a media that drains more freely, if you water less reliably you will need to find a media that offers retention and keeps humidity around the roots without being soggy.

Because these orchids like high amounts of water, other plants such as ferns and weeds may start to grow alongside the orchid, whose roots can make the media quite dense, effectively strangling the orchid's roots, it's best to pluck them out before they become a problem. Fungus and bacteria can be an issue as well, but usually are a sign of overwatering, smell the media occasionally to check, and increase airflow, reduce watering, and adjust temperatures accordingly (often bacteria only flourish in warmer temperatures, fungus less so). 

 

Climate

Grows at low elevations. Rainfall ranges from 25mm to 199mm per day, heaviest in August and lightest in February. Humidity ranges from 81% to 88%, highest in August and lowest in April. Temperature ranges from 21C to 31C, highest in April (23C to 31C) and lowest in January (21C to 29C).

Watering

These orchids prefer a constant supply of moisture, with a slight drying out between waterings. Saucers can be placed under pots to retain moisture during hot weather, however the saucers should be removed or let to dry every 1-2 weeks to prevent rot. Keep an eye on the plant especially in hot weather and look for cues of under/overwatering and adjust accordingly.

Fertiliser

These orchids do not need to be regularly fertilised and roots may be sensitive to salt build-up, dying back and therefore impairing the plants growth or even killing it.

If fertilising, use half to quarter of the recommended amount of fertiliser. If they receive fertiliser as part of a collection, be sure to flush out the pots regularly with fresh water and monitor the roots by checking how much resistance is given by the plant when nudged in its pot or mount. If the plant becomes wobbly or loose, repot in fresh mix or rinse the media/mount thoroughly and do not fertilise for at least 3 months.

Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round.

Potting

These plants are quite forgiving and will do well repotted ever 2-3 years. The mix should be coarse, well draining, and allow space for air to move and for roots to grow. 

Alternatively, these plants will also do well mounted to tree fern or cork slabs, or mounted to trees.

Best time for repotting or mounting the orchids is the end of winter when new growths start to appear. Avoid repotting during hot weather,

Repotting is best done annually.