This tiny little Phalaenopsis is a warm growing epiphyte found on lower elevations in the eastern Himalayas and further south across Indochinese peninsula. This is the first flowering for my orchid, and it produced a very short inflorescence with one small flower, but it is a cute one. The flower is only about 2 cm big and the whole plant is not more than 6 cm across. I grow this mounted on cork in the warm vivarium under medium/low light.
Phalaenopsis parishii
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About the Author: Karma
Karma is a digital nomad graphic artist and writer, orchid nerd and long-distance hiker from Gothenburg, Sweden. Former editor-in-chief for the Swedish Orchid Society magazine, published internationally and held lectures on orchid culture.
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Delitefull blog
still trying to grow paphs after 20 years some success now
Thanks Jim! 🙂 Good luck with your Paphs, one of my (many) favorite species.
Excellent flower & photo!
Thanks Anna! It is blooming again right now, I need to post some new photos. 🙂
Hi Karma –
I have been playing around with orchids for about 6-7 years now and am doing pretty well. I live in San Diego, CA, which has the perfect climate for phal cultivation. I am actually writing because the only phal that I continue to have trouble with is the parishii. I have a lobbi and a gibosa (similar, at least I think) doing very well in a fine orchid bark, but every time I try to do the same with the parishii, it dies – drops its leaves. I have ordered new parishii plants and they always come mounted on a board, but I don’t understand why I can’t get them to grow in a pot. I am thinking about buying other one and just leaving it mounted, but because all of my plants are in pots, it will be the only one mounted. How often do you have to water mounted orchids? I only water my potted orchids once a week, but I would assume a mounted parishii would need quite a bit more water so it doesn’t dry out. Sorry for the length of this message. I don’t know anyone else to ask such a specific question. Thanks!
Hi Andy! Sorry to hear about your P parishii troubles. I have only grown it mounted so I could not tell you too much about potted culture, but since the growers prefer to keep it mounted I would guess it prefers to dry up faster after watering than a pot would allow. Mounted plants do best in a high humidity environment, like a greenhouse or vivarium (terrarium), but you can grow it on the windowsill as well, but then you would need to water more often. I grow mine in a vivarium with RH (relative humidity) of about 70%, then I water about every to every other day during the warmer part of the year, and twice a week in the winter. On the windowsill in the dry and warm climate of San Diego I think you would need to water it just about every day, at least when it is actively growing. Give it a try, it has beautiful roots, nice to see them too. Good luck! 🙂
Karma – You are awesome for replying so quickly! I am going to keep trying and I’ll let you know how it goes. I’ll just water it every morning during this summer and see how it goes. I recently purchased a thermometer that also reads humidity levels and I am usually around 50 to 70%, which seems unusual since San Diego is considered a desert region; however, I am not that far from the ocean. I actually have a small terrarium that I am growing a pitcher plant in, but I could also try putting it in that, but I’d be worried that it would be incredibly humid and with no air movement, I’m afraid of root rot. Anyway, I hope you don’t mind if I ask you a few questions every now and then. I have quite a few orchids and it is becoming a large hobby for me. Andy
You are welcome. Feel free to ask more. Good luck! 🙂
Wonderful picture of a cute plant. Just ordered one again. I had on some 10 years ago, when I still lived and loved in Berlin, now it’s time to try again. As this little plant can grow as semi-deciduous, I hope I won’t have any troubles with it over here. A tiny jewel, indeed. I hope yours is still doing fine.
Art
Thanks! 🙂 Yes, my plant is doing fine, good luck with yours!
Hi Karma,
may I ask some advice – i’ve just obtained a parishii which I’m growing in a warm vivarium (constant 18 – 23 celcius). I want to make sure I’m watering correctly. I note in your comment above you say you water every to every other day during the warmer part of the year, and twice a week in the winter. Does this mean that the temperatures in your viv vary significantly with the seasons or do you change your watering for other reasons?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Froggle! I always try to emulate the growing conditions found in situ as closely as possible. Looking here you can see that where this species grow it is slightly cooler and a bit drier during winter. Good luck!