Phalaenopsis equestris

In recent years hybridizers have created a number of beautiful multi-floral hybrids with this gratifying species. While Phalaenopsis equestris was used early on to create primary and complex hybrids, as well as some intergeneric hybrids, it became much more widely used in the 1990s. When I started growing orchids, P. equestris was called P. rosea, or P. equestris var. rosea. Sweet (1980) established the name as P. equestris and assigned varietal names. A very common clone today is P. equestris var. leucaspis, which is a little smaller than other forms, and has a pale rose color with a darker rose lip. Phalaenopsis equestris f. alba, whose flower is about 1.5 inches in diameter, is a very nice snow white flower with yellow dominating the lip; one of these was the parent of P. Martha's Gem (P. Martha Daniels x P. equestris). With its small shapely white flowers on a compact multi-branching plant, this P. equestris cross is a real show stopper when grown well. The P. equestris flower from Taiwan is reported to be variable in color, and about two inches wide. One clone, P. equestris 'Riverbend', which is a purported tetraploid, has petals with a dark pinkish red splash at the base. This pattern comes through in its hybrids of which one grex, P. Be Tris, is especially notable. This species stands in good favor with hybridizers because of its multiple branching and the number of flowers in its progeny. When pollinating with large pollen from other flowers, you must cut the pollen in half, or even into quarters, in order to fit it into the column of these small flowers. If the other plant of a cross is to carry the seed pod, some hybridizers will often pack the flower's column with numerous pollinia from the P. equestris donor.

This article which has been reprinted here with permission, originally appeared in the Volume 66, Number 4 edition of Orchid Digest, (Oct-Dec 2002), which is a Special Edition that highlights Phalaenopsis, and also features an excellent article on Phal culture by the Tuskes. The Phalaenopsis Special Edition of Orchid Digest can be ordered from Orchid Digest for $22. Highly recommended.

This article, all of its sections and accompanying photographs
are copyright 2002 by Orchid Digest Corporation.

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