Newer flowers on Phal spike are changing color

[alanlrig]

I recently bought a Phal at the local Farmer's Market with two spikes (see two attachments). The first photo shows the spike that was opening when I bought it. The second photo shows the second spike which is now opening. The first two flowers were half like the first spike flowers and half fully a dark fuchsia. The three most recent are completely fuchsia. So, what gives? Is it returning to the look of one of it's parents? Is it an anomaly that will just go away? Is it the most amazing thing to happen in orchid culture ever? Will this continue in future bloom cycles? Or, what? Thx for any info.

[estación seca]

What a neat plant!

This is probably the result of its genetics, and it will always produce unpredictable color variations.

[PaphMadMan]

Though there may be something about the genetics of this type of color pattern that makes it more likely to happen, something like this can happen in any plant any time. The spike with the dark flowers and flower segments shows an unstable chimera - 2 genetically distinct tissue types in one organism. In the meristem that produced that spike one cell mutated in a way that changed color expression. All the cells arising from divisions from that cell are dark, all that cells arising from the unmutated cell next to it show the normal color distribution. Sometimes the pattern can be stable, and some forms of variegation are due to that. Here it is unstable, the 2 tissue types persist side by side for a while, but sooner or later one type takes over, mostly by chance. It happens more than we realize because we only see it when it causes a change in appearance, not a change in protein synthesis or energy metabolism, or when the mutation is lethal and that cell line dies out fast.

You may see more mixed spikes like this in the future, or some of each, depending on the distribution of the tissues in the plant, but if the plant lives long enough it will probably settle on one or the other. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with hybrid breeding or hormones in cloning or whatever. It happens in every living thing all the time, it just isn't always so readily visible. Enjoy the surprise as long as it lasts.

[alanlrig]

Originally Posted by PaphMadMan

Though there may be something about the genetics of this type of color pattern that makes it more likely to happen, something like this can happen in any plant any time. The spike with the dark flowers and flower segments shows an unstable chimera - 2 genetically distinct tissue types in one organism. In the meristem that produced that spike one cell mutated in a way that changed color expression. All the cells arising from divisions from that cell are dark, all that cells arising from the unmutated cell next to it show the normal color distribution. Sometimes the pattern can be stable, and some forms of variegation are due to that. Here it is unstable, the 2 tissue types persist side by side for a while, but sooner or later one type takes over, mostly by chance. It happens more than we realize because we only see it when it causes a change in appearance, not a change in protein synthesis or energy metabolism, or when the mutation is lethal and that cell line dies out fast.

You may see more mixed spikes like this in the future, or some of each, depending on the distribution of the tissues in the plant, but if the plant lives long enough it will probably settle on one or the other. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with hybrid breeding or hormones in cloning or whatever. It happens in every living thing all the time, it just isn't always so readily visible. Enjoy the surprise as long as it lasts.

Thanks for that thorough explanation. It will be a fun future with this one.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Very cool plant. Lucky you.

[Kezyma]

That'll be a Phal. 'Magic Art'
I've got one in my collection that does the same kind of thing, although usually theyre different on different spikes!