What does B/S and N/B/S mean to you?

[Baloney]

Hi all

There probably isn't a textbook answer for this but I'd like to seek some views on this question:

When you see a seller describe his orchid as being B/S or blooming size, do you interpret that to mean (A) it is currently in bud or has bloomed before, or (B) that it is of a size that can bloom with the next new growth (assuming conditions are normal or ideal etc)?

But if you take it to mean the latter (ie. It hasn't bloomed before but could well do so with the next growth or two), then wouldn't that be considered an N/B/S plant?

Just scratching my head as I recently came across an online spat between a buyer claiming his plant was not the B/S size plant as advertised, but the seller's response was basically that if grown correctly a plant of the size sold, is capable of blooming within the next growth (ie. therefore B/S).

Looking forward to hearing what your views are.

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[sbrofio]

Hi!
Here in Italy we use
BS to say: plant has the size and strenght to flower when her flowering season arrives. It could be 3 months or 7, it depends.
NBS: plant has almost the size to flower. May ben next growth will be strong enough.
We use In Bloom to say plant NOW in flower, or Very Adult/specimen plant to say taht plants are pretty big and had bloomed before.

[DeaC]

Will I be enjoying a much deserved flower soon or does it go into the will?!

[sbrofio]

Originally Posted by DeaC

Will I be enjoying a much deserved flower soon or does it go into the will?!

If I understood correctly the sense of your question, of course, all the stuff I wrote in the previous post are intended as "under optimal conditions of growth".

[PaphMadMan]

To me, BS should mean this plant is comparable in size and maturity to other plants that have bloomed in the past or are now in spike, high expectation to bloom in the next few months or the approaching bloom season given good care. NBS should mean it will be capable of blooming when the next new growth to start matures in season, or within about a year for monopodials. But I expect all but the best growers to mean about 3-5 years more than my definitions.

[Ray]

I agree with PMM on this.

If I have a group of similar plants, and some of them have bloomed or are blooming, then I consider the lot to be Blooming Size - unless, of course, it's a runt. However, there is no guarantee that any plant will bloom for anyone, under their conditions.

As for NBS, that gets trickier, as a plant that will very likely bloom shortly under my greenhouse conditions, may take a lot longer on a windowsill.

[Fairorchids]

Agree with PMM & Ray. I have seen some nurseries define NBS as 12-18 months.
It gets harder with seedlings, as they grow a lot better under greenhouse conditions. When I sell at a show, I always explain that my estimates to BS are under greenhouse conditions.

Taking this discussion a step further, BS does not mean 'to produce best flowering the plant is capable of'. To illustrate this, I took photos of the same plant over 3 years, 1st bloom and the next two. The 3rd blooming is close to optimal, but I suspect that a specimen size plant (give it another 5-10 years) might still improve a bit.

[NYCorchidman]

Exactly what Paphmadman says.
So, BS and NBS are in a way approximation, especially for new crosses, and time it takes for them to flower might vary quite a bit as there are also different plant sizes to consider. Some mature larger or smaller than others even among the same grex.

B/S or blooming size never means that the plants are in bloom or bud.
If they are in bloom or in bud, they are usually advertised as such and would cost more.

[Optimist]

I feel the assignment of these terms is based on the orchid grower's experience with this particular plant (grex even) under the grower's conditions. I do like to buy plants that have bloomed before, but they are often more money. I am still waiting for several seedlings I bought in 2013 to give me a bloom.

[PaphMadMan]

Originally Posted by Optimist

I feel the assignment of these terms is based on the orchid grower's experience with this particular plant (grex even) under the grower's conditions. I do like to buy plants that have bloomed before, but they are often more money. I am still waiting for several seedlings I bought in 2013 to give me a bloom.

But when you buy plants that have bloomed before you can be absolutely certain that the best ones have been retained by the grower, and you get the leftovers. Even if you pay a premium price for selected plants, the best ones are never offered for sale.