When buying a complex hybrid, buy the flower or buy several.

9 years ago

Unless it's a division or meristem clone, you don't know what you are getting when you purchase a complex hybrid. A friend of mine who is into Paphs always buys 4 seedlings, keeps the best one when they bloom and puts the others on the Silent Auction table. A complex hybrid is one where there are a multitude of parents each of which ads to the mix and can penetrate. I have a number of Masdies and have take pictures of some, 2 of each with identical tags. Compare the flowers. If you ordered a plant on the internet using the name only, you could have gotten either or even something else.

The first one is Masd (Patricia Hill x Susan Kha) Patricia Hill is made by crossing ignea x welschii, Susan Kha is a cross between ignea and Masd Chinese new Year. Assuming Chinese New Year has 2 different parents, there are 4 different ancestors giving this plant it's appearance.

Nick

Comments (13)

orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
And here is it's brother by the same mother. Same tag, flower definitely different.

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
Here is Masd JohnTomasche x Annette Hall.

Nick
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orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
Side view.

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
And this, believe it or not, has the same tag.

nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
Side view, what a difference. No complaints, love them both.

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
Masdevallia burlesque.

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
Exactly the same tag. I broke the flower stem while i was arranging it so am holding the flower by hand. The difference blows me away.

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
Both of them in loving harmony. Again, remember if you ordered one by catalog you could get either one or something even different. It's a good idea to see the flower.

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
Last one Masd Fuschia Dawn this one actually demonstrates what's in a name. This one is called Masd Fuschia Dawn #1

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
Side view. Sorry for the lack of focus.

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
It's sister is called Masd Fuschia Dawn 'Purple'.

Nick
orchidnick
Original Author
9 years ago
2 flowers per stem. No reason to suspect that both have the same tag except that some one named them. With the full name (#1 for the first one 'Purple' for the second one) it becomes easy to know what you are getting as the full name will only transfer to a division or a clone.

The point is that if you are shopping for complex hybrids in Masdies or Paphs 2 good examples, the names alone are almost meaningless as you have no idea what you are getting. Ideally shop the flowers if you have that opportunity or get several small seedlings. Keep the one you like the most and sell the others.

Nick
westoh Z6
9 years ago
Ain't orchids wonderful!!!

But it also makes me wonder if things are always 'tagged' correctly. Especially the John Tomasche x Annette Halls shown.

Bob