Amazing change in coloration in Odont hybrid

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

I bought a few Odontoglossum hybrids from a grower in the San Francisco Bay area last summer, two of three with spikes. One was sold to me as a solid red hybrid with O. Nichirei as one parent and when it bloomed I got what you can see in the first couple of pictures in July 2012. Fast forward to Jan 2013 and it rebloomed, and wow, what a change. I wonder what caused the blooms that were on the spike when the orchid was shipped to me last year to be totally different after growing on my patio since then.

Any thoughts? I am happy, I got the solid red blooms I wanted but now that I don't have the patterns in the bloom, I kind of miss it .... lol

[tucker85]

Unfortunately I can't see the pictures. I imagine there's more than one reason for color change in an orchid but the one I've had experience with is temperature. I have some orchids that bloom one color in warm weather and a different shade of color in cool weather.

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

I apologize, new camera, I guess Orchid Board can't handle them well, and when I tried to upload three pictures each of before and after, the "after" stopped them from uploading. I added one each, pre and post, what do you think?

[WhiteRabbit]

Temps can definitely affect the colors. My Onc Sharry Baby blooms with a white lip when buds developed in warmer temps, but the lip is nearly the same color as the petals (dark burgundy) when buds developed in cooler temps...

Amount of light while buds are developing can also sometimes affect the colors...

Beautiful blooms, both ways

[NYCorchidman]

I love the solid bright red blooms a lot!!! wow~

Yes, temperature can really affect the color of flowers. Some of my orchids do that too.