Mutant Phalaenopsis!

[rosemadder]

I'm grocery shopping in Safeway, and I walk past the mother's day orchids. Look what I found!

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This plant has 3 spikes and oodles of bulbs and normal flowers, but two of the blooms (the main one in the pic, and the one directly behind it) are two-headed flowers. Split right down the middle like a mirror image. Two columns, two sets of lips. Isn't it cool??

I kinda want to buy it just for that, but it's $30, and I'm not a big fan of pink. Hmm.

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[quiltergal]

Genetic hiccup. It happens occasionally. I've also seen blooms with no lip at all.

[rosemadder]

It's gorgeous! It's too bad the whole plant isn't like that, I'd grab it right away. I suppose there's no guarantee this particular orchid will ever produce more of these again.

I know that among Neos, there are officially named varieties selected just for these types of mutations-- are their other orchid types like that too? Established lines of mutated phals, or such? That could be pretty fun.

[RosieC]

Really pretty mutation!

[Discus]

rosemadder: one of the most common genetic mutations in all orchids is pelorism. Floral symmetry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm not aware of people collecting "freaks" of other orchids as much as people do with Neofinetias.