Phalaenopsis gigantia

[delphiguy]

wow, look at all the roots in that tree, those chids are really enjoying their time there.

[EMos]

The blooms are beautiful, and there seems to be an ideal micro climate under these mango trees for your orchids.

[zainal abidin]

The bane of all mango growers here - the attack by borers, the larvae of a beetle. Most trees attacke by the borers last only a few years The only mango variety that seems immune to the attack by these borers is the 'Sala' variety, now widely grown in Kedah. This variety of mango would make a suitable host tree for the orchids. Apart from this, it fruits the whole year round with quite large fruits 2 - 3 to a kilo. The fruits may not have the eating quality of 'Harum Manis' or 'Chok Kanan' but on a scale of 10, I would rate it a 6.5 . However, the green unripe fruit makes the best Nyonya kerabu, and of course Thai kerabu ( Thai hot, spicey salad of shredded green mango ) . It is also ideal for making mango juice - smooth, creamy and with a very 'mangoey' fragrance.

Yew thanks for the additional info about the mango fruits and borors very interesting.

[jrfehon]

I saw one of these at the Longwood Gardens Orchid Show a few weekends ago. It really is an amazing orchid! I couldn't believe the size of the leaves. Spectacular!

[pavel]

That's one very happy plant!

[orchidsal]

Amazing flowers! With your excellent care Zain and nature working overtime to create something this varied in color and substance this must become something of a event when it blooms. AL

[zainal abidin]

I saw one of these at the Longwood Gardens Orchid Show a few weekends ago. It really is an amazing orchid! I couldn't believe the size of the leaves. Spectacular!

Hi Jason I was told the leaves in the wild may reach up to 1 meter mine never reach that size.Thank.

[zainal abidin]

Thanks Pavel.
Al, I agree with you thank for the mother nature maybe one day we can see more variations in the specie and more colorful.

[gavstang]

Bang Zain, I have heard that Phal Gigantea does not like chemical fertilisers and only likes organic. In your experience is this true?

[catttan]

Bang Zain, I have heard that Phal Gigantea does not like chemical fertilisers and only likes organic. In your experience is this true?

In my nearly 50 years of growing orchids I still haven't heard the end of the chemical vs organic fertilisers debate. Since I don't have a Phal gigantea I don't know the gigantea's preference one way or the other. Some growers of species insist that that one should only use organic because it is more 'natural' for plants that have come from nature - the jungles. A very successful exhibitor who has won many prizes for his species was once asked the secret of his success and he said no chemical fertiliser as who would be spraying chemical fertiliser in the jungle. It just wasn't natural.When asked what organic fertiliser he used he said, 'Sheep manure pellets in little sachets'. I was very tempted to ask him whether it was natural for sheep to climb trees and deposit their droppings for the orchids. I thought better of it and just kept mum. How can you argue with a person, whose Coelogyne rochussenii has just won the' Best Plant of Show' award with more than 40 spikes. Incidentally he insisted that this particular plant did not receive any fertiliser at all as it was jungle collected.