flowers of different color
 

Has anyone bought an orchid that was in bud or flowering only to find that when it flowers again the flowers are less bright or of slightly different color?

I had something along those lines happen with my Bllra Peggy Ruth Carpenter. I got it in spike, with one bloom open on one of the two spikes. That flower was perfectly normal, as were the rest of the blooms on that spike . Then when the second spike bloomed a week or so later, those flowers were white!! I really didn't understand it. It rebloomed in october/november, and the blooms were the normal color, but the columns on each were completely deformed. No clue why. I wonder what it will do next time it blooms....

Temperature can affect the color of blooms. It is especially noticeable in oranges and reds which are weaker in color in warmer temperatures.

thats interesting ron, i never noticed that before....probly cause mine have always bloomed the same color wise....but i have had some flowers on the same spike show a little difference in the lip colors/markings...i fig that was normal....isnt it? i love learning new things!

Thanks for the replys. The orchid in question is a Eplc. Butterfly Kisses "Mendenahll". I got it three years ago when it was flowering and it was an orange color. It didn't bloom again until this past weekend and the flowers appear to be yellower. Interesting about the temperature, however it is in a cooler environment now, of course the summer is hot.

Not only have I found that the color and color intensity was different, but the flower size as well. This I think was because of the change in temperature, light intensity, fertilizer and water quality. Sometimes the difference was so marked that I firmly believed there was a plant swap somewhere. In time the situation settled down to a norm and there I found some positive and negative traits that developed to make my orchid collection even more challenging and interesting.

The amount of light will definitely change the color of the flowers. My Blc. Golden Glory bloomed light orange last year, ripening to a darker orange. This year, it's in brighter light (with the Vandas) and the flowers are opening almost a dark maroon, although they are ripening to almost the same color as last year.....maybe a shade darker.

...and the plant is older now, which can effect the flower size, along with your feeding schedule.

Someone posted about this on Bc Maikai a month or two ago, or longer. The plant had been divided, and one part was living in the bright greenhouse/shadehouse and the other was in a much shadier spot. They both bloomed, but the colors were a bit washed out on the one that didn't get as much light. The difference between the two was unbelievable. They were getting fed and watered the same way, so it was the amount of light and possibly the temperature which affected the blooms.
I'm trying to find that thread, because the pics were amazing to compare!

While temperature can affect the shape, Ive noticed the biggest color changes as a result of light intensity. High light tends to enhance the colors of the flower and make colors darker and more intense. However, I live in Hawaii so our temperature swings are not as intense as....well anywhere! For me temperature is not that much of an issue, though light intensity definitely is! I guess my take home message is that high light produces strong plants and well colored flowers while temperature does not seem to affect my flower color that much though my plants dont see huge changes in temps.