Plant table awards, January 4, 2012 – Venice Area Orchid Society

	First Place and Members Choice: Cattlianthe Spring Imp ‘Lennette #3’ HCC/AOS Grower: Tony Nacinovich Many bright orange red flowers caught everyone’s attention of this complex hybrid of many generations. The strong influence from the hybridizers selection provided an orchid which strongly shows the influence of Guarianthe aurantiaca, a great grandparent to the hybrid. The clone ‘Lenette #3’ received its HCC award in 2004 with 17 flowers on two inflorescences.
	Second Place: BrassocattleyaYellow Bird Grower: Tawanna Hardenbrook This well-known hybrid of Brassavola nodosa by Brassocattleya Richard Mueller has received 11 AOS awards, six of them for culture. The cross, registered by H & R in 1990, has only two species in its background – Bc. nodosa and C. milleri. It is an excellent plant for our area. It will withstand our ‘cool’ night and our summer heat to produce blooms during the winter months.
	Third Place: Rhyncholealiocattleya Theresa Hill Grower: Bob Wallace This hybrid of Rlc. Carolina Splendor x Rlc. Goldenzelle was registered by Krull-Smith in 2008. The cross was also made by Bill Fender, using Goldenzelle as the pod parent. The parents bring together a clear bright yellow with a red orange. The seedlings are usually an ‘art shade’ color. This plant was from the Fender cross.
	Species of the Month: Guarianthe bowringiana Grower: Shirley Hoffman A winter blooming species from Central America. Know commonly as Cattleya bowringiana, and also as Cattleya autumnalis, it produces many flowers on upright stems. The color is enhanced by a glistening surface texture.
	Speakers Choice: Rhyncholealiocattleya Liz Wright Grower: Richard Amos Two beautiful, large size ‘classic’ orchid flowers won the approval of our speaker, Bob Scully. This cross was registered in 1981 and represents the best of the large purple Cattleya breeding at that time. Large Cattleya breeding fell out of favor at that time – will we see more of this type of breeding?