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Species library › Phalaenopsis › Phalaenopsis difformis
Orchids Partly documented

Phalaenopsis difformis

A small, short-stemmed epiphytic orchid from monsoonal forests of the Himalaya, southern China and mainland South-east Asia, better known under its former name Ornithochilus difformis. Its pendulous sprays of tiny greenish-yellow, brown-marked flowers with a comb-like lip look like a swarm of insects and appear in early summer. Grow it mounted, intermediate to warm, with a drier, cooler winter.

At home, aim for
Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

Epiphytic on trees in evergreen and mixed forest, occasionally on rocks; one recorded host is Glochidion. Plants are small, with 7–16 cm leaves and hanging inflorescences.

Measured records span 133–1,440 m, median 950 m (34 records), so most plants grow in submontane forest. Wikipedia mentions records near 20 m, which may apply to lowland populations.

East HimalayaWest HimalayaAssamChina South-CentralChina SoutheastMyanmarThailandLaosVietnamMalayaSumatraBorneo

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app.