Phal. formosana (" Ta Wu " x ' Wild ')

I am very pleased to be able to introduce this amazing strain of Phal.  Phal. formosana   ("  Ta Wu " x ' Wild ')    (formerly known as Phal. amabilis var. formosanum) to North America. Phal. formosana  is a compact species recently described by Christenson in 2001. It occurs from Taiwan to the Philippines at elevations up to 1000 feet. It closely resembles Phal. amablis but differs in the red lip disc, the triangular mid lobe and its smaller flowers (3 inches compared to 4 inches of Phal. amabilis). The subspecies formosanum is found only on the island of Taiwan.

 This species has a special place in my heart. As a kid growing up in Taiwan in the early 1970s this was my first Phalaenopsis. Back in those days they were all jungle or wild collected from an area in the eastern part of Taiwan called Ta Wu ( 大武which means Big Force).  This area is always subject to the touch down of hurricanes or tropical monsoons.

 This (normal 2N) strain is the result of breeding two secure wild jungle collected pollen from strains ‘Ta Wu’ and ‘Wild’—not the man-made 4N (tetraploid) strain ( a.k.a. Babuyan form) which lacks the flower count and branching habit. This strain has very distinct jade green foliage versus the dark green and larger leaves of Phal. aphrodite from the Philippines. The subspecies formosanum is more compact growing with excellent branching habit. The temperature in its native area is known for its temperature extremes: from extreme heat due to Foehn wind effects during the daytime especially during the summer months and low temperatures down to 40 - 50 F in the winter. This species has amazing weather tolerance and is resistant to rot from the open rain unlike most of Phal. hybrids. Disease resistance often is the last concern of the hybridizer. It is worthwhile to grow this species into a mature plant as it will reward you with hundreds of flowers from October until April on branching spikes—a sight to behold! A must for the Phal species collector. Prefers shady and humid conditions with good air circulation. Excellent for growing outdoors in hot climates where winters are frost free. Easy to grow and bloom. Great for beginners. Highly recommended.

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