# Types of Mini Phalaenopsis Orchids
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Phalaenopsis Orchids
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Phalaenopsis comes from the Greek word for moth-like and describes the typical flower's shape. Various color patterns include striped, plain white, spotted, blotched or a combination of these. The plants and flowers range in size, with less than 50 wild species of phalaenopsis in existence. Phalaenopsis thrive in moist, warm shade clinging to a host plant or growing on rocks. Phalaenopsis orchids are widely available through specialty online growers. Named or unnamed hybrids display miniature flowers on small plants. Several species orchids produce miniature flowers.
The Delicate Phalaenopsis
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The delicate phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis deliciosa) is a species orchid with an extensive native range, favoring moist forests at elevations below 2,000 feet in the Himalayas, Nepal, India, Thailand, Vietnam and Borneo. P. deliciosa is a miniature plant with tiny flowers less than an inch across. Very short stems support the epiphyte plant on cork or tree fern. The 8-inch flower spike produces numerous sequentially opening flowers more than once each year. Showy white and lavender flowers display in all directions for a dramatic show.
Chiba's Phalaenopsis
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Chiba's phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis chibae) is a species phalaenopsis native to Vietnam. The plant thrives in hot-to-warm locations at elevations under 2,000 feet. Masaaki Chiba of Japan discovered this miniature orchid. The tiny orange and yellow flowers are each under a half-inch across. A thin, erect flower stalk displays the waxy flowers simultaneously in its native habitat. It performs differently under cultivation, with the flowers opening at different times. The flower shape is similar to that of P. deliciosa.
Parish's Phalaenopsis
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Parish's Phalaenopsis (P. parishii) grows in hot-to-warm, low-elevation areas of the Himalayas, India, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand and Vietnam. The Rev. Samuel Parish discovered Parish's phalaenopsis in 1864. The fleshy plants hang from moss-covered tree branches over flowing water. Arching flower stalks produce tiny white and burgundy flowers less than three-fourths-inch across. The foliage and flowers face downward for optimum display from a hanging container or a high shelf. Flowers open simultaneously in the spring.
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