Vuylstekeara Cindy 'Pinky Lee'

[JScott]

It's strange to me how plants that are wildly popular for a while just suddenly disappear. Is it because somebody bred a plant that they thought had commercial value, so they mericloned a bunch of them and sold them around the country, and then when they were gone, they were gone, and they didn't clone anymore? I feel like the same thing happened with Cym Milton Carpenter 'Everglades Gold'. You used to be able to find it EVERYWHERE, but last year when I was looking for one, I had an impossible time finding one. Finally I lucked into seeing them at Hausermann. He only had a few and they were tiny tiny tiny, but that was good enough for me. It's big now, and if all goes according to plan, i hope to see blooms in a year or two.

Same thing with Beallara Peggy Ruth Carpenter 'Morning Joy'. When I was in high school, that plant was everywhere, but it was sure hard to find a couple years ago when I decided I wanted one.

And then some plants, like Ctt. Jewel Box 'Scheherazade' have been around forever, and you can still find it anywhere. Same goes for Lc Dinard 'Blue Heaven'.

[Roberta]

Well, I imagine any clone has a sales curve... when it first comes out, lots of them sell, and then it tapers off. And besides, for a hybridizer, producing the same thing year after year is boring. So they work on trying to get something new and interesting. Of course the ultimate "new and interesting" are seed crosses... a seedling may be a pig in a poke, but to me it's like getting a painting from the artist. (Why I love SVO... there are a few mericlones like Fdk. After Dark "Black Pearl", but so many other variations on the theme, and always new combinations.)

[JScott]

You make a good point on both counts. I usually buy seedlings, because I love the excitement of seeing how it is going to turn out, but there are some mericlones that I love enough that I want one. Some of the most famous ones that I have are Williette Wong 'The Best', LC Dinard 'Blue Heaven', LC Busy Bev 'Blue Jewel', Ctt Jewel Box 'Scheherazade' but I typically buy seedlings. But this Vuylstekeara just makes me so happy and I was so sad when it died. I wish I could replace it, but I may have missed the window when it was popular and common, and I may or may not find it again.

[estación seca]

Producing a batch of mericlones is a lot of work, and expensive. People always want new things. So producers and vendors tend to sell a big batch of mericlones, and then move on to something else. The old ones become hard to find.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Producing a batch of mericlones is a lot of work, and expensive. People always want new things. So producers and vendors tend to sell a big batch of mericlones, and then move on to something else. The old ones become hard to find.

That's kinda what I figured, and you just confirmed it. Thanks ES! You are a wealth of knowledge and I appreciate you. I might even like you

[estación seca]

Hausermann's has a similar plant in the New section. It has darker pink flowers. Beallara Patricia McCully 'Pacific Matriarch'.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Hausermann's has a similar plant in the New section. It has darker pink flowers. Beallara Patricia McCully 'Pacific Matriarch'.

Thank you for the tip, but I've already got that one. In fact, it is in spike right now! But I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know. Thanks, ES.

[DirtyCoconuts]

That’s a beauty too!

[JScott]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

That’s a beauty too!

Patricia McCully has never been very vigorous for me. It stays smaller than it should, and it grows and blooms every year, but usually only with only about three flowers. I think I'm going to switch it over to semi-hydro after it is finished blooming this year and the new growth starts. It has quite a bit of Odontoglossum in it, and I think I can't keep it cool enough, buy my understanding is that SH keeps the root zone cooler and can help plants that like cooler temperatures thrive in somewhat higher temps. I'm hoping that will be the case with this one, because the flowers are just beautiful, but I'd like to see a nice big plant with more than three blooms at a time haha.