Plant Table Awards, May 4, 2011
In May 28 plants from 8 exhibitors were shown.
First Place: Vascostylis Crownfox Red Gem ‘Ruby’ HCC/AOS
Grower: Peggy Fahrenback
Two arching inflorescences of bright burgundy flowers impressed the judges. This hybrid is a cross of Rhynchostylis gigantea and Ascosenda Red Gem, registered in 1998. It has earned 6 AOS awards. All of the awarded clones have solid, intensely colored flowers.
Second Place: Phalaenopsis Brother Spring Dancer
Grower: Mary Ann Degrazia
This hybrid of Phalaenopsis Brother Spring Dancer was registered by Brother Orchid Nursery in Taiwan in 2000. It is a cross of Phalaenopsis Be Tris and Phalaenopsis Timothy Christopher. Phalaenopsis equistris is in the background of this hybrid several times, and the plant shown looked like a larger and improved P. equistris.
Third Place: Phalaenopsis Little Gem ‘Stripes’
Grower: Bob Wallace
Another Phalaenopsis hybrid with Phal. equestris in its background as a grandparent. In this case P. equestris was used to create the bright red lip. The plant provided a full display of flowers on a relatively short stem. It was a good example of a short-stem Phalaenopsis with moderate size flowers. The grex was originally registered in 1962, and it is unknown whether this plant originated then or through a remake of the hybrid.
Members’ Choice: Angraecum Memoria Mark Aldridge ‘Corinne’
Grower: Bill Timm
A hybrid of Angcm sesquipedale x Angcgm. superbum registered by Fred Hillerman in 1993 and named after Connie Timm’s son Mark who died at age 13. Bill and Connie received an HCC award on this plant that year. Fred Hillerman was the leading breeder of the andgrecoids for many years and passed away this April at the age of 96. Bill, Thank for you for bringing this plant for us to see.
Species of the Month: Brassavola tuberculata
Grower: Bill Timm
A species that is grown because it makes exceptional cultural specimens and the plant shown presented an outstanding display. Each inflorescence holds about 4-6 flowers that form a full mound of blooms. The plant has been known by several other names, most frequently Brassavola perrinii but the name Brassavola tuberculata was the first published for this species.
Speaker’s Choice: Dendrobium spectabile
Grower: Bill Timm
A small plant of this species with unusual flowers was exhibited. The species can grow into a large clump – a plant at the Miami International Orchid show in 2007 had 1050 flowers on 70 inflorescences. Although it has an unusual shaped flower and muted colors, it has been used as a parent in 18 registered hybrids of which at least 5 have won AOS awards. The species occurs in the Solomon Island, New Guinea and Vanuatu.