Hello Orchid Lovers!!
Welcome back to another detailed guide of growing and caring for wonderful orchid species. It’s a great pleasure to see the number of readers who are referring our “Phalaenopsis Orchid” Grow and Care guide is increasing day by day. So we decided to create this detailed guide. This article will help you successfully grow and take good care of another wonderful orchid. Phalaenopsis amboinensis orchid also known as “The Amboin Island Phalaenopsis” is the planlady on the spot light in this article. Without further due let’s dive into the guide!
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Phalaenopsis amboinensis | Photo Credit: neurotivity |
For your easy reference we have added the topics that will be covered in this article down below:
- Whats is Phal. amboinensis and why it’s special
- Similar names in different regions
- How to Identify
- Where to Find
- What time of year do they bloom?
- Characteristics
- Most Popular P. amboinensis Primary Hybrids
- Discovered by
- Grow and care of P. amboinensis orchid
- Light
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Substrate and growing media
- Watering
- Fertilizer
- How to repot Phal. amboinensis
- Phalaenopsis Amboinensis Care FAQ
1. Why Phalaenopsis amboinensis is special?
Phal. amboinensis is a favorite among orchid growers because it blooms in succession. The means it has one or two blooms followed by another couple of blooms.
Especially, Phal. amboinensis orchid has a higher value in the market for its adaptability and beautiful flowers. And it is frequently in use to hybridized with other Phalaenopsis species to produce even more beautiful flowers.
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2. Similar Names of Phalaenopsis amboinensis
This Phal. amboinensis orchid has got many names such as Amboin Island Phalaenopsis, Phalaenopsis psilantha Schltr, Phalaenopsis hombronii Finet, and Polychilos amboinensis.
3. P. amboinensis Variants
- Phalaenopsis Amboinensis “Nicole” :
- P. Amboinensis x bellina
- P. Amboinensis Flava
- Phalaenopsis Amboinensis White
4. How to Identify Phalaenopsis amboinensis
Where to Find
The Amboin Island Phalaenopsis is indigenous to Ambon, as well as the Toli-Toli District of Sulawesi, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. And also it grows in the damp woods in the shade of trees at an altitude of 0-400 meters.
What time of year does P. amboinensis bloom?
The Phal. amboinensis orchid blooms in the late winter as well as in the early spring with long-lasting flowers.
Characteristics
- This Phalaenopsis species is an epiphytic plant which is small size and hot growing, .
- And also it has a short, pendulous stem that is surrounded by imbricating leaf bases.
- They have elliptic or oblong-elliptic leaves that are oblanceolate. In other words, not divided into parts.
- Here, the leaves are usually 25 cm long.
- Phal. amboinensis blooms on a lateral, arching racemose that is 18″ (45 cm) long.
- Therefore it has a large number of flowered inflorescences with small bracts.
- Meanwhile single flower is 5-8 cm in diameter.
- Both whorls’ petals are slightly cup-shape and have very sharp tops.
- However, they are usually wide enough to overlap at the base.
- The flowers are creamy, pale lemon to yellow, or orange to yellow in color, with red-brown stripes.
- Furthermore the lip of the flower is quite small.
5. Most Popular P. amboinensis Primary Hybrids
Nowadays, this Phalaenopsis species is freaquently used in the creation of more and more beautiful Phalaenopsis hybrieds. Certainly there are about 37 primary Hybrids . Following are few of the most commonly found Phal. amboinensis hybrids.
Phal. amboinensis x amabilis : Deventeriana
Phal. amboinensis x fasciata : Golden Pride
P. amboinensis x bastianii : Angela Schreiter
P. tetraspis x amboinensis : Tetrasambo
Phal. amboinensis x P. mannii : Mambo
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Phalaenopsis Mambo (amboinensis x mannii) | Photo Credit : MindMelted95 |
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Phalaenopsis Tetrasambo (Phal. tetraspsis var. alba x Phal. amboinensis | Photo Credit: Stella_plantsnbakes |
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Phalaenopsis speciosa x amboinensis in bloom | Photo Credit : carrotteapot |
6. Discovered by
J.J.Smith discovered phal. amboinensis in 1911.
7. Grow and care Phalaenopsis amboinensis Orchid
Please keep in mind that this cultural knowledge is only intended to
serve as a guide. Therefore, you should customize them to your own
requirements. Here you need to consider your geographical location, the
time you can commit to maintaining the plants, and various other
factors. Only then will you be able to decide which cultural methods are
best for you and your plants.
Phalaenopsis amboinensis orchids are a
member of Phalaenopsis family that are relatively simple to care for.
However, in order for these orchids to grow, you must provide the proper
light, moisture, and temperature conditions.
Light
This species thrives in light levels that are significantly lower than the average. That is to say 10000-12000 lux are needed. Morning light is the best according to the recommendations.This species prefers to be kept indoors because it seeks the most stable climates. Please note that this orchid will stop growing if the light is too weak or the light exposure is too short. Therefore it requires at least 10 hours of light per day.
Temperature
The next factor is the temperature. The average summer “day” temperature is 31-32 ° C and “night” 22-23 ° C with a daily amplitude of 8-9° C. But during the year this temperature changes only by 1 ° C. The average winter “day” temperature is 29-30 ° C and “night” 22-23 ° C with a daily amplitude of 7° C.
Humidity
When the Phalaenopsis amboinensis is grown in a pot, the air humidity can range between 60 to 65%. Otherwise It requires 75 to 85% moisture if it is bare root.
Substrate and growing media
Please note you should not use the regular potting mix for your orchids because it will retain too much water and cause the plant to begin rotting. Use a bark mix, moss, or an orchid-specific mix instead. You’ll need a mixture that can hold some moisture while also allowing water to drain quickly. Moss retains moisture for a longer period of time, whereas bark mixes allow for better drainage. While growing orchids for the first time, most beginners find that a bark mix is the easiest to get right.
Watering
Basically the frequency with which Phalaenopsis orchids should be watered depends on a variety of factors, including your climate and the growing medium in which they are planted. In general, water Phalaenopsis planted in bark every 7 days and Phalaenopsis planted in moss every 12 to 14 days.
During the growing season, you should always keep your plants moist.
When the substrate has dried and all of the roots in the vase have
turned silver, the Phalaenopsis amboinensis needs water. It is critical
to observe the color to determine when it is appropriate to water.
Watering
is done in the morning so that the plant can dry before the evening. To
avoid rotting, it is critical to remove excess water from the center of
the stem and the axils of the leaves.
Fertilizer
Orchids benefit from fertilizer, just like most houseplants. Fertilizer is especially beneficial to Phalaenopsis amboinensis because it allows them to bloom in succession. During the growing season, you can apply 1/4-1/2 doses of orchid fertilizer every week or every two weeks. Premium Orchid Food is a great option because it can be used every time you water your orchid and the formula is already diluted. so you don’t have to worry about overfertilizing and burning the roots of your orchid. Otherwise it is important to water the plant before fertilizing it to avoid the fertilizer’s harmful effect on the dry roots.
How to repot Phal. amboinensis
Repotting is done every 2-3 years to replace the old substrate. It is preferable to follow this practice if you are using a growing medium that degrades over time. Otherwise, the growing medium may retain too much water and cause the roots to rot. Repotting Phalaenopsis is best done in the spring or fall, just after flowering or when new roots appear. Repotting should be avoided while the plant is in bloom.You should select a pot which is 1 inch wider in diameter than the current pot.
You should select a pot which is 1 inch wider in diameter than the current pot. First remove the orchid from its current pot. Then prepare the orchid for its new pot. After that place the orchid in the new pot and water right away.
8. Phalaenopsis Amboinensis Care FAQ
Q: Why does my Phalaenopsis have yellow leaves?
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Bottom two leaves of orchid yellowing | Photo Credit : yammb |
A: There are several possible explanations for yellow leaves on a Phalaenopsis. The first point to mention is that it is normal for old leaves to yellow and fall off. Yellow leaves, on the other hand, can indicate that something is wrong. Leaves can also turn yellow if they are exposed to too much light. Remove your orchid from direct sunlight.
Overwatering can cause yellowing of the leaves. Water only when the top inch of the growing medium has dried out. Make sure the water in your growing medium is properly draining. Underwatering can also cause yellowing of the leaves. Change your watering schedule to water your orchid more frequently if it appears dehydrated.
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