Which do you prefer Species or Hybrid?

[WhiteRabbit]

I don't have an actual preference. Tho some of my favorite chids are hybrids - but maybe I just need more of my species to bloom! lol

Species I have bloomed - C purupurata and Den atroviolaceum and Haraella retrocalla -and I LOVE them all! There might be a couple others, I'm not sure at the moment.

But I adore my Ascoceneda Su Fun Beauty! It's like a miniature Vanda I can grow potted on a windowsill! It bloomed twice over winter with cheery orange blooms! I absolutely love my Den Royal Wings (thanks for the registered name Camille!) A gorgeous and easy (at least for me) orchid. And my Odontioda Margarete Holm - which blooms reliably and with large spikes of spectacular good sized blooms on a rather petite plant - and without strong light as well!

So - I love species, but have a strong fondness for many hybrids as well

[Paul]

I wound up going with "No Pref" for whlie I am very much into species, I still find myself attracted to many of the hybrid minicatts and there are some genera -- like the Masdies -- for which the hybrids are the only ones I would be likely to have much chance of success.

[stefpix]

I think Vanda hybrids look somehow almost natural. I have not seen Vanda species blooming.

I wonder if all this hybridizing creates sterile plants with unviable seeds. After all commercially they seem to be produced by divisions or cloning.

My 2 Onc Twinkles are growing very well and the one I got at Trader Joes for 9.99 was really a good deal. But my species are blooming too. Dendrobium aphyllum [even just a small keiki], Den sulcatum, Eulophia graminea, Spathoglottis plicata. I can't say the hybrids I have are more floriferous, I got more species to bloom.

[natasha]

Originally Posted by Tropicgirl

I like the challenge of species and the fact that they are more natural. I think it's very important to keep all of the species going in our collections, who knows how much longer they will be around in the wild.

But I also like the ease of some hybrids and the beauty that is created with them. Yes, some do end up looking like Frankenflower, but others are gorgeous.

I really just love them all, I have a hard time picking one.

i agree with you on all these!

[got ants]

I am generally a species guy, and mostly with plants within my close geographical location, which to me, includes the islands of Bahamas, Leeward Islands and Windward Islands, Cuba, PR Jamaica (my lovely wife's birth place).

But, that also sets about a multitude of problems. Like with my Tolumnias, I am now build a "dry" area for them, and some others like our Ghost need a "wet" area.

Still, I prolly have half hybrids in the mix. After two years I'm leaning to what grows easiest in my climes.

[Triffid]

Species, but only by the narrowest of margins.
But if it appeals to me then I don't care either way, it could the most mongrel mutant and I'd still want it.

Anyway, you can't have any Hybrids without Species

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by stefpix

I wonder if all this hybridizing creates sterile plants with unviable seeds. After all commercially they seem to be produced by divisions or cloning.

Many of the mass produced hybrids are sterile especially in Phals. If a hybridiser is careful what they cross with what then hybrids can be fertile, but the people who have created many of the mass market ones do not care about that and so ended up with many infertile crosses.

[Angurek]

Tough call. It really depends on the type of orchid we're talking about. There are some I like as species, and others as hybrids.

I'd have to say no preference. I like both.

[Izzie]

I like hybrids for their toughness...but species for their...species-ness.
So, if they like me, I like them!

[kavanaru]

I prefer species, but cannot ignore many primary hybrids and some complex hybrids are just fantastic...

in other words, I prefer those plants I like