Species Name: Phalaenopsis equestris var aurea
Care Group: See Phalaenopsis Orchid Care
More About Phalaenopsis equestris
Phalaenopsis equestris var aurea Care
Same care as other Phal equestris. “Aurea” is simply a color form that indicates white flowers w/ a yellow lip.
Phal equestris are easy growers. They fall somewhere between a warm grower and a cool spiker for care. Flowering typically in summer (but can be any time of year). The roots do better when allowed to dry slightly between waterings. Allow a day or two after the roots have dried in the media before watering again. I would grow Phal equestris with large chunk orchid bark and only add about 10% sphagnum to the mix…or only use sphagnum as a top-dressing on the potting media. Refer to my post on potting mixes for phals and other orchids if you’d like more info and refer to the potting media for cool-spiking phals.
My Phal equestris aurea has done well in Orchiata pine bark, but it did experience an initial “lul” (slow to acclimate) after I got it. I attribute the delayed growth to the previous grower, as the plant arrived with very few roots, and only 4 leaves which were pale, short, hard, and thick – a sign that light was too intense. After two years of even care, the plant has produced many new leaves which are a deep green and average about 4-5″ long.
It flowers in Summer around June through to July with sequential non-fragrant flowers. For whatever reason, the first few flowers of each spike always abort, but once the first few flowers have failed the rest seem to come forward without blasting.
Phalaenopsis equestris var aurea Photos