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Phalaenopsis gigantea

Phalaenopsis gigantea
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
Family
Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
Grows as
Orchid
Safety
Not toxic to cats or dogs (ASPCA).
Native range
Borneo
Climate
wet tropical

About

Phalaenopsis gigantea is a species of orchid endemic to the island of Borneo and was first described in 1909. The specific epithet gigantea refers to the giant size of its fleshy leaves, which can grow to over 60 cm in length on a mature plant. It is the largest known Phalaenopsis species.

How to grow it

warm to hot growing orchid

although not difficult to grow, (gigantea) seedlings take significantly longer to reach maturity than other species

Uses

This plant has been used in the creation of Phalaenopsis hybrids, as its huge size and pendent inflorescences are recessive traits in crosses with complex tetraploid hybrids. Two colour morphs are significant to horticulture: paler brown patterns without red colouration against a yellow ground colour and secondly brown-red patterns against a yellow ground colour. As of February 2022, the International Orchid Register of the Royal Horticultural Society lists 321 registered hybrids involving this species.

Other Phalaenopsis plants

Phalaenopsis subg. Hygrochilus · Phalaenopsis subg. Ornithochilus · Moth orchid · Phalaenopsis amboinensis · Phalaenopsis aphrodite · Phalaenopsis appendiculata · Phalaenopsis bastianii · Phalaenopsis bellina · Phalaenopsis boulbetii · Phalaenopsis buyssoniana · Phalaenopsis cacharensis · Phalaenopsis celebensis

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Phalaenopsis gigantea by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.

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