Phalaenopsis gigantea

Phalaenopsis gigantea is named for the giant size of its leaves, which can grown over 2 feet in length on a mature plant. This orchid is endemic to Borneo and was first described in 1909. It is the largest known Phalaenopsis species.[1]

Phalaenopsis gigantea
Flower of Phalaenopsis gigantea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Phalaenopsis
Species:
P. gigantea
Binomial name
Phalaenopsis gigantea
Synonyms
  • Polychilos gigantea (J.J.Sm.) Shim
  • Phalaenopsis gigantea var. decolorata Braem ex Holle-De Raeve
  • Phalaenopsis gigantea var. aurea Christenson
  • Phalaenopsis gigantea f. decolorata (Braem ex Holle-De Raeve) Christenson

Species description
Phalaenopsis gigantea seedling
Phalaenopsis gigantea inflorescence
  • A very short monopodial stem with 5-6 large silvery-green pendent leaves that can measure over 60 cm across
  • flowers are ~5 cm across (up to 6.5 cm), cream background with raised red-brown spots, and varying degrees of green around the column, waxy
  • Mature, specimen-size plants are capable of producing hundreds of flowers on pendent, branching inflorescences reaching 40 centimeters
  • blooms have sweetly fragrant citrus scent
  • flowers can last many months
  • inflorescence can rebloom over many seasons [2]
  • Although widespread belief that this orchid takes anywhere from 8 to 12 years for a seedling to reach flowering size, it may be possible to flower seedlings in 4 years with ideal culture [3]

Species variants
  • Phal. gigantea var aurea: has a brighter yellow background color throughout the sepals and petals [1]

Growing conditions
  • warm to hot growing orchid[2]
  • although not difficult to grow, (gigantea) seedlings take significantly longer to reach maturity than other species
  • particularly susceptible to rot if water gets trapped between the leaves
  • allow potting media to dry out completely between watering
  • Phal. gigantea needs its entire root system to keep the large leaves hydrated, so as a result is very sensitive to getting its roots disrupted
  • prefers higher light than most phalaenopsis[1]

References
  1. Peter Lin, Phalaenopsis Gigantea: Giant of the Genus IPA Journal - Phalaenopsis - Winter 2003 issue
  2. IOSPE
  3. Phalaenopsis gigantea (J.J.Smith 1909) Accessed 10/15/2012
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