A successful hybrid, which has become a celebrity within the spectacular list of hybrids of the Phalaenopsis genus, with a family tree that surprises with the small number of species, Phalaenopsis Sweet Memory, also known as Liodoro, originally written Liodora, impresses not only with its special color , but also by its perfume, unusual for the species of the genus, inherited from the parent species Phalaenopsis amboinensis.

Secondary hybrid, resulting from crossing the botanical species Ph. violacea with the primary hybrid Ph. Deventeriana , includes in the parental species Phalaenopsis Violacea , with a weight of 50%, followed by Ph. Amboinensis and Ph. Amabilis , both with equal weight, 25% each. The hybrid was officially registered in 1982, by Universal Orchids, with permission from the hybridizer, Rex Smith. In a short time, Sweet Memory Liodoro became a successful hybrid, with more than 30 clones awarded by the AOS (American Orchid Society). The best-known and most appreciated clones of this special breed are Sweet Memory KF #1, Sweet Memory Joy Alba (which received recognition at the 17th World Orchids Conference), Sweet Memory CY, Sweet Memory Bubbles, Sweet Memory Janet, Sweet Memory Bonnie Vasquez, Sweet Memory Vasquez, Sweet Memory Dorothy, Miva Fragrance Monaco , this last taxon being slightly different in descent, but very close to the Sweet Memory group.

The leaves have a chromaticity and texture specific to Sweet Memory, being colored light green, slightly yellowish, of a relatively softer, fleshy, fresh, fragile consistency, compared to most Phalaenopsis hybrids. Their shape can be oval or elongated, reaching up to 25 cm long and 10-12 cm wide. The flowers appear on stems of 45-50 cm, having a "revolver" type of flowering, in the sense that the flowers, in small groups of a maximum of 5 flowers per stem, bloom relatively simultaneously, and after their wilting, the flower stem elongates slightly and form a new group of flowers. The fragrant flowers , with a strong, sweet, slightly citric-vanilla aroma, of considerable size for a fragrant phalaenopsis, (approximately 7 cm in diameter) have a central yellow color, with transitions and gradient areas from pink to purple, sometimes densely decorated with red dots.

The color and size of the flowers is directly dependent on the general growing conditions of the plant. The oval-shaped petals and sepals are up to 4 cm long and 2.3 cm wide. The trilobed labellum, with a slightly mucronate protuberance on the central lobe and with visibly serrated edges on the obtuse side lobes, measures approximately 2 cm long and almost 1.4 cm wide, with straight, long lateral parts, yellow at the base and intense purple towards tip, where a contrasting white color also appears in the area of ​​the apical mucron, which visibly separates it from the body of the labellum. The general shape of the labellum is roughly rhomboidal.

The light needs for Liodoro correspond to a variable intensity, being able to effectively tolerate both strong but diffused light and partial shade. The ideal location is represented by positions with a south-east orientation, but if this is not possible, the plants can also be installed in western or southern orientations. If these last options are preferred, it will be necessary to protect the plants from the direct rays of the sun between the months of May and September.

The growth temperature for this hybrid falls within the warm range, and it is recommended to keep the plants at daytime temperatures of 24 - 40°C and nighttime temperatures of 18 - 20°C.

The recommended humidity for cultivation will be 50-70%, lower values ​​can inhibit plant growth and cause the abortion of unopened buds, which turn yellow, die and fall, as well as the aerial roots.

The ideal container for Sweet Memory is the plastic pot, but ceramic pots can also be used, or you can eventually resort to mounting on wooden blocks or bark or cork plaques. As a substrate , the best option is represented by the mixture of conifer bark and sphagnum moss in a ratio of 4:1. Growing this hybrid in mounts on bark or wooden blocks involves placing a layer of sphagnum moss between the plant and the support, to prevent excessive dehydration. A layer of sphagnum, either alive or dry, can also be placed over the roots. It is expected for this taxon to produce rapid decomposition of the substrate, due to frequent irrigation and fertilization, which is why it is recommended to replant and change the substrate once every 2-3 years. The best time to carry out this intervention is in the period immediately following the completion of flowering.

Irrigations will be directly dependent on the temperature of the environment, increasing their frequency as the temperature increases. The plants grown in the mountains will have to be watered regularly, daily, during the morning, so that by the evening it is possible to dry the roots relatively well. When watering specimens grown in pots, the water will be allowed to drain efficiently after irrigation by immersion of the pot. If water remains after at least one hour after irrigation, it is recommended to remove it with the help of absorbent paper or kitchen napkins, as it can facilitate the installation of a considerable number of pathogens. It is necessary to completely dry the substrate before making a new watering. On hot summer days, it is necessary to spray the plants with water, to facilitate the drop in temperature at the level of the leaves and to increase the humidity of the air around the plants.

Fertilization will be carried out throughout the year at every third watering, with 30-50% of the current concentration of the fertilizer, being also recommended the periodic application, possibly alternative, of foliar fertilization, carried out by spraying at much higher dilutions than for fertilization rooting.

This hybrid does not require a rest period to stimulate flowering, as the development of 3 or more flower peduncles at the same time is relatively frequent, but the plants in general only have so much energy to develop only one of the stems to maturity and full bloom. It is recommended that after the completion of the flowering of the first peduncle, the remaining stem should be removed, to stimulate the development of the dormant ones, but to apply this treatment, additional fertilization of the plants will be necessary, preferring fertilizers rich in phosphorus, to avoid their exhaustion and encourage the development of new flowers The young leaves of this hybrid are frequently soft and brittle and may break at the base. To avoid these inconveniences, it is recommended to handle the plants as little as possible, and the initial planting is indicated in a horizontal position, not vertical, to stimulate a type of growth that leaves the impression that the plants develop as if they were hanging from the pot.

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