Phalaenopsis chibae × Phalaenopsis honghenensis
Un ibrido primario in miniatura tra due piccole specie asiatiche Phalaenopsis, allevato per dimensioni compatte e fiori decorati a toni caldi. Coltivato caldo, in ombra e uniformemente umido. Registrato come grex ibrido artificiale, non una specie.
Guida alla cura
Luce
Low to medium indirect light — the moth orchid is one of the most shade-tolerant orchids and is easily scorched by direct sun. An east window or a few feet from a brighter window is ideal; reddish leaves mean too much light, dark floppy leaves too little.
Acqua
Water thoroughly about once a week, letting the bark/roots approach dryness between waterings; silvery-green roots mean it is time to water, green roots mean wait. NEVER let it sit in water, and avoid water lodging in the crown, which causes fatal crown rot.
Substrato
Open, free-draining bark mix or sphagnum in a pot with good drainage (clear pots let you monitor the roots, which photosynthesise).
Temperatura e umidità
Warm-growing, 18–28 °C; keep above 15 °C. Moderate to high humidity (50–70%). A drop of about 8–10 °C on autumn nights helps trigger a new flower spike.
Concimazione
Feed weakly weekly — a quarter-strength balanced orchid fertilizer at most waterings — and flush with plain water monthly to prevent salt build-up.
Potatura
After flowering, if the spike stays green you can cut it back to a node below the lowest spent flower to encourage a side spike; cut brown spikes to the base. Remove only dead roots and leaves. Non-toxic to pets and people.