Butterfly orchid blache flowers yellow labellum

Credit: Motohiro Sunouchi

Orchid, large white flowers, yellow and purple heart

Credit: Katja Schulz

White orchid flower spike

Credit: Mayeesherr

Orchid butterfly labellum trilobate pink yellow

Credit: Motohiro Sunouchi

Phalaenopsis Aphrodite, an explosion of flowers and colors

There's no need to go looking for Phalaenopsis Aphrodite in the forests of Taiwan and the Philippines, where it originated. This orchid has virtually disappeared in the wild. Fortunately, its beauty can still be admired in collectors' homes and on florists' stalls.

How to recognize Phalaenopsis Aphrodite?

Phalaenopsis Aphrodite is an epiphytic orchid with purple-tipped roots. At first glance, this butterfly orchid appears aculeate. In reality, it has a stem barely two centimetres long, covered by overlapping limbs.

The fleshy, oblong leaves measure up to 40 centimetres long and eight centimetres wide. Dark green on the upper surface, the underside is bronze or violet. Not sure which type of butterfly orchid you're dealing with? Count the leaves! Phalaenopsis Aphrodite has six, while moon Orchid has between three and five. Are there more? You're probably looking at a Phalaenopsis lueddemanniana.

In the wild, Phalaenopsis Aphrodite flowers in spring. The inflorescence blooms on a stalk up to a metre long. There are up to 100 flowers on the stem. Each flower measures seven centimetres. The calyx is composed of two oval lateral sepals and an obtuse upper sepal. The corolla consists of two broad petals and a three-lobed labellum.

Botanical specimens have white flowers and a labellum speckled with yellow and purple. But, like many orchids, Phalaenopsis Aphrodite has been crossed and hybridized. Like phalaenopsis hybrid, it now comes in pink, purple and yellow.

Whichever variety you choose, you're in the clear. Phalaenopsis Aphrodite, like other Phalaenopsis, is non-toxic.

Our maintenance tips

Phalaenopsis are the simplest orchids to grow. For your Phalaenopsis Aphrodite to flourish, place the plant less than one meter from a window.

Watering

Phalaenopsis Aphrodite are watered when the substrate is dry. To find out if it's time to water your Phalaenopsis Aphrodite, look at its roots. As long as they're fleshy, shiny and green, you don't need to do anything. When they become pale, dull and stunted, your plant is thirsty.

Place your phalaenopsis Aphrodite and its pot in a slightly wide container. Fill the larger container with non-calcareous water, such as rainwater or low-calcium mineral water.

Leave your Phalaenopsis to bathe for 10 to 30 minutes. Once the roots have regained their shiny green color, drain your orchid and put it back in place.

Make sure the heart of the plant remains dry. If water has seeped into the center of the leaves, tilt your Phalaenopsis Aphrodite to drain it, or blot it up with absorbent paper. And don't forget to drain off any stagnant water in the saucer or planter.

Spray

Your Phalaenopsis Aphrodite appreciates moisture on its foliage. Spray it regularly with non-calcareous water to improve humidity.

Repotting

In spring, transfer your Phalaenopsis Aphrodite to a larger pot, so that it can continue to grow.

Repotting should always be carried out outside flowering periods.

Phalaenopsis Aphrodite like to be cramped. Repot only when the roots have invaded the pot, the substrate has decomposed or the plant no longer fits in its container.

Get a pierced pot made of transparent plastic. This material has two advantages: it lets the roots take advantage of the light, and you can monitor their condition.

To repot an epiphytic plant, you don't need potting soil, but a mixture that allows the roots to anchor themselves. You'll find orchid substrate on the market, made up of bark, sphagnum moss and mosses. To prepare for repotting, moisten the substrate.

In the meantime, remove the roots from the plant. Uncoil the roots and completely remove the old substrate. If you notice any flat, dry or damaged roots, cut them off with a clean pair of scissors or pruning shears.

Pour in a little growing medium. Place your phalaenopsis Aphrodite in the center of the container and add substrate. It should reach right up to the crown and get in between the roots. You can shake gently to distribute the mixture more evenly. Once the pot is full, pack lightly without suffocating the roots.

The end of plant growth is a good time to repot phalaenopsis Aphrodite.

Repotting should always be carried out outside flowering periods.

Phalaenopsis Aphrodite like to be cramped. Repot only when the roots have invaded the pot, the substrate has decomposed or the plant no longer fits in its container.

Get a pierced pot made of transparent plastic. This material has two advantages: it lets the roots take advantage of the light, and you can monitor their condition.

Fertilization

To promote the growth and flowering of your Phalaenopsis Aphrodite, you can apply a potassium-rich fertilizer, such as an orchid fertilizer.

Cleaning

Dust accumulating on leaves slows down the photosynthesis process. To ensure that your Phalaenopsis Aphrodite receives sufficient light, clean its foliage with a damp cloth.

This operation also prevents mites from settling in.

Prune

To prevent the spread of disease and pests, always prune with a clean, disinfected tool.

After the first flowering, cut off the flowering stem above one eye where all the flowers have faded. New buds will appear.

After the second flowering, or if the stem is completely dry, cut it off at the base.

Cutting

You can take cuttings all year round.

Phalaenopsis Aphrodite produce shoots called keikis. They form in the leaf axils, at the base of the plant, or on the flowering stem.

Locate a keiki with at least three leaves and three three-centimeter roots. You can detach it with your hands by gently rotating it. After a few rotations, the young shoot will separate from the orchid.

You can also detach the keiki with clean secateurs or scissors. In this case, cut the flower stem a centimetre above and a centimetre below.

Soak the roots of your keiki in water at room temperature for ten minutes.

Prepare a pierced plastic pot. Place clay balls in the bottom for drainage. Add a mixture of sphagnum moss and bark. Place your keiki in the center and fill with the growing medium.

Young plants like humid atmospheres. You can place them in a terrarium or greenhouse until they form new leaves.

Wintering

The plant needs a winter period to flower from one year to the next.

Phalaenopsis Aphrodite bloom again on their own. If no buds appear two months after the last bloom, your Phalaenopsis Aphrodite may need a boost.

For two to three weeks, place it in a room with a temperature of 15°. Reduce watering. It shouldn't be long before new flowers appear.

Diseases / Threats

Information

Family	Orchids - Orchidaceae
Type	Butterfly orchid - Phalaenopsis
Species	Phalaenopsis Aphrodite - Phalaenopsis Aphrodite
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposure	Sun
Substrat	Humus soil
Planting method	In pots
Categories	Interior Flowery
Tags	Flowery Fritillary
Origins	East Asia Southeast Asia
Hardiness (USDA)	11b
Leaf color
Flower colors