Apparently repeated meristem propagation affects plant quality - how does this work?

[Bayard]

I try to get a division of the original plant, if possible. Sometimes it is called the mother plant. Not all vendors know the provenance of such plants, so I may or may not be getting the real thing. Mutations in the cloning process can affect the flower quality, the plant quality or both. I had a clone of Rlc. Susan Fender ‘Cinnamon Stick’ that grew with wide spaces between the pseudobulbs. Then I acquired what was advertised as a division of the original plant. This plant grows with very little space between the pseudobulbs and also has excellent flower quality. This is the one I kept.

[Fairorchids]

Mother divisions are obviously preferable, but you need a deep pocketbook.

• A BS seedgrown Cattleya typically retails for $30-45.
• A BS meristem typically retails for $40-75, and occasionally as high as $125 (with first generation plants being more expensive).
• A BS mother division can range from $60 to $500, or more. For Paphiopedilums (which can't be meristem propagated), mother divisions can range up to $2500 or more.

[Diane56Victor]

Originally Posted by Bayard

I had a clone of Rlc. Susan Fender ‘Cinnamon Stick’ that grew with wide spaces between the pseudobulbs. Then I acquired what was advertised as a division of the original plant. This plant grows with very little space between the pseudobulbs and also has excellent flower quality. This is the one I kept.

Thats interesting, I've just bought a 'Cinnamon Stick' seedling myself. There was no mention of clone or mericlone on the advert. I was just happy to get one!
It will be a couple of years at least before it blooms I think but I will keep an eye on bloom placement.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Diane56Victor

It will be a couple of years at least before it blooms I think but I will keep an eye on bloom placement.

Diane ----- Bayard's plant - one of them - appears to have produced longer sections of rhizome between the bulbs (than usual, or when compared with the original plants). That definitely suggests DNA change --- or just different DNA. Interesting!

The spacing between pseudobulbs appears to be much less (more compact group or colony of bulbs) for plants that have the same DNA as the mother cinnamon stick plant.