| Q I
recently inherited part of my father’s collection of cattleya orchids.
Many of the plants have no labels but are of blooming size and are
flowering regularly for me. Is there any service you are aware of that
might help me to identify them? A We receive many of these questions. If your plants are seedlings, the answer is simple: You have to accept the impossibility of putting an accurate name on the plants. Should they be widely circulated mericlones, it is possible that an area hobbyist or commercial grower might be able to help, though probably not in Idaho. But ask yourself, "Is the fragrance any less sweet on an unnamed plant, is the color less vivid?" A practical solution is to label each plant with a descriptive tag such as "Autumn-blooming large lavender," and then, when you make divisions, you can keep track of them. Unless you plan to enter them in shows, your plants will not suffer from their bastard tags. - Andy Easton. |
Reprinted, with permission, from "Orchids" - The Magazine of the American Orchid Society, Oct. 2001.