ID this Phal?

[kdbattista]

Hi,

I've always wanted an orchid and two days ago I got my first. The guy told me it was a Phal and not too much else. I was wondering if you guys could tell me what kind of phal it is.

kate.

[Jirel]

Unfortunately there are so many varieties of phals that look alike that its impossible to id the no-id ones. I actually have two phals that have the same crossing but look very, very different. Sometimes all you can do is enjoy the blooms, and those are very beautiful ones.

Welcome to orchid growing and the forum, hope you enjoy both for many years.

[LouisW]

I agree with Jirel however it looks like your plant is either a Harlequin type or it has it in its parentage. That does not really men anything for the care of the plant it just referrs to the red blotches on the petals and sepals. Harlequin is not a taxonomic classification it is just a look and a breeding line. Inetersting though. Check out the Phal culture sheet in the "Orchid Care and Cultivation" section of this forum, that should tell you what you need to know to grow and bloom Phals (thats short for Phalaenopsis if you didnt know).

good luck!

[Tarad]

I too upon first glance thought Harlequin line, but as stated it is almost impossible to ID a NOID phal. Tara

[brookn]

Your plant is quite a beauty! Welcome to the forum. Here are some links for you to help care for your plant:

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/new...f-orchids.html

AOS | Phalaenopsis

[mehitabel]

What the other posters say is true-- phal hybrids are often very similar to each other, so a definite ID is not possible.

However,

your phal looks a great deal like Sogo Pearl. There are a lot of them around right now, each cultivar slightly different, but all of them having that family resemblance. So it's quite likely that's what you have. If that's what it is, it's a great choice for a first phal. Sogo Pearl is a vigorous plant with shortish branching spikes of yellow harlequin flowers. The flowers have good susbtance and last a long time. Don't cut the spikes when the last bloom drops, as it will continue to produce new blooms off the old spikes.

You can see a couple of different cultivars of Sogo Pearl at Chesterfield Orchids.

[kmarch]

Sogo Pearl is a good possibility. I have seen them all over the web and agree they are quite popular and common. Ever Spring Light, Ever Spring Fairy, or Bright Peacock are other possibilities though I haven't seen as much of these.

[kdbattista]

Wow! Thanks for all the info. I had a feeling that ID might be hard, after I did a little bit of searching and saw how many hybrids there were. You guys rock!