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Phalaenopsis gigantea

The Gigantic Phalaenopsis 

Phalaenopsis gigantea is a species endemic to Borneo and was first described in 1909. Sadly, gigantea is threatened with extinction in the wild due to habitat destruction, poaching, and its extremely slow growth. Gigantea can take 8-12 years to reach maturity & finally bloom. The specific epithet gigantea refers to the giant size of its leaves, which can grow to over 60cm in length on a mature plant. It is the largest known Phalaenopsis species.

Overview

Common Name: The Gigantic Phalaenopsis
Subgenus: Polychilos
Distribution: Borneo
Light: Low-medium filtered light
Temperature: Warm to hot growing
Water: Abundant year-round
Size: Very large
Flowering Season: Summer-Autumn
Flower size: 5-6.5cm
Scent: Fragrant with citrus notes

Varients:

  • Phal. gigantea var. aurea
  • Phal. gigantea var. declorata (syn: Phal. gigantea var. alba)

This species requires abundant watering year-round, however, is extremely susceptible to rot; plants should be watered early in the day with tepid or warm water and must dry quickly. Constant airflow between the long leaves is highly recommended so as to increase the evaporation of excess moisture on the leaves, axis or crown of the plant.

When fertilising, I recommend my usual 'weakly, weekly' (1/4-1/2 strength) method during active growth, and reducing or eliminating fertilisation in winter. As with all phals, when using commercial fertilisers, be sure to flush out any excess salt build-up by running water through the pot once a month or so as the excess salts can desiccate or burn the roots of this sensitive species.

Gigantea appreciate a somewhat stable temperature year-round and will do best in a house with heating in the wintertime or in a region where temperatures don't fluctuate all that much from season to season.

Repotting should also be done very carefully & held off until absolutely necessary. Due to the size of the leaves, which require abundant water to keep hydrated, gigantea also require large root systems and any damage to the roots must be avoided at all costs. Care must also be taken when maneuvering the plant as the heavy leaves can tear at the base, which in turn, will open the plant up to rot. While always it is always recommended to use clear pots with phalaenopsis orchids in order to be able to keep an eye on their root systems and to add extra ventilation holes, I can not stress just how important these two points are for Phal. gigantea in cultivation as well as the use of coarse bark for aeration & drainage.



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