Orchid of the Week: Phalaenopsis Amboinensis

Yikes, I’ve been seriously shirking my orchid blogging duties. I don’t even want to look back and see when I last did an Orchid of the Week blog. Well, because today is the last day of 2010 I figured I should get in one final blog post this year. And I’ve chosen to feature Phalaenopsis amboinensis, one which I have in my personal collection—and mine is beginning to spike!!

This orchid is native to Indonesia and has small, star-shaped waxy blooms with tiger-like striping. Take a look at this specimen (not mine):

Photo credit: orchidspecies.com

The striping on the blooms can be creamy in color, yellow, white, red, or maroon. Check out the variety in the following images:

Photo credit: stonybrookorchids.com
Photo credit: parksideorchids.com
Photo credit: phals.net

My very own amboinensis is sprouting a tiny spike, which I noticed a couple weeks ago during a Sunday morning watering session; you can see the light green spike sprouting up at the center left of the photo:

My Phal amboinensis spike!

I’m so excited for this one! Okay, I’m always excited when any of my orchids starts to spike. But this particular one is extra exciting, because it’s the first of my orchids from Hausermann’s to spike for me. I had ordered a bunch of orchids in the spring of 2010, and this is one of them. I’m so proud that I’ve kept it healthy enough to spike!

I don’t usually combine Orchid of the Week posts with other info, but I figure while I’m on a roll, I may as well give a quick update on my other Phals in spike. I took a photo of each one this morning:

Spike & side shoot on my Ikea Phal
Spike on my Lowe’s Harlequin Phal
Spike on my Union Square Greenmarket Phal
Home Depot Peloric Phal Spike
Side shoot with buds on Trader Joe’s Phal

So much spikeage!! In a month or two my house will be filled with blooms! Happy New Year, everyone!!

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