Can Anyone Identify This Mislabeled Neof.

[Shoreguy]

It was labeled as a N Suikaden, something it obviously is not. A friend purchased it.

Note the pink spot on the dorsal sepal, and the tip of the ventral sepals.

[Hakumin]

Need to see the rest of the plant to be certain, can't go by just the flowers.

However, going by what is visible of the rest of the plant, it might not be 100% incorrectly labeled.

Suikaden has been thoroughly propagated by seed and most in the market nowadays do not have the green petal tips that Suikaden is supposed to have, and there are other variations in the flowers too. (Let's not get into the whole naming of seedlings vs clones debate again here)

If you want the green flower tips you really need to buy in flower that already shows it or request an original division from a reputable vendor.

[Shoreguy]

I'll get some better pictures of the vegetative growth. I did notice the curved leaves which is consistent with Suikaden.

I also realize that not all seedlings Suikadens display the green tips but the pink puzzled me. You do mention that there is flower variation in Suikaden seedlings but is pink known to be one of them?

I have emailed the owner of the plant whether any new broad spectrum pesticides have recently been applied which might explain the pink. He just replied “no”.

[Hakumin]

Originally Posted by Shoreguy

I also realize that not all seedlings Suikadens display the green tips but the pink puzzled me. You do mention that there is flower variation in Suikaden seedlings but is pink known to be one of them?

It's not unheard of.

[Shoreguy]

Hopefully this helps.

[Hakumin]

The leaves are a bit on the long side, but I have little issue seeing it as a seed grown Suikaden.

[Shoreguy]

Thank you for your analysis.

It seems to me that honorable vendors should assure themselves that seedling reproductions of registered varieties posses the defining characteristics of the variety in question before offering the plant for sale.

Unfortunately most vendors do not posses such integrity.
Perhaps if they did, prices would become prohibitive, and be damaging to the overall market. So perhaps it's understandable why they act as they do.

It comes down to what the public wants. Affordable plants or properly named ones. Plants are not always offered in such a condition to allow a knowlegable consumer to make an informed decision. The only recourse is to hold off purchase if unsure thereby putting the whole issue on the customer's shoulders.

If a varietal name can be assigned to a plant legitimately due to its parentage without possessing the defining characteristics, then varietal names really lose their significance.

Finally, and I’ve said this before and it might be the solution to this whole issue, BUY A PLANT, NOT A NAME.
In other words, if you like the plant, buy it irrespective of the name on the label. Also, if you don't like it, don't buy it irrespective of the name on the label.

[Hakumin]

I think the problem in the US and Europe is more that many of the vendors who sell neos are not very knowledgeable themselves, as well as the fact that there aren't very many highly knowledgeable collectors to correct those vendors.

This issue is not really big a problem in Korea and Japan. There are dozens of nurseries that are almost strictly dedicated to Neos, and competition makes them more careful not to make mistakes like that.

The Neo community in Japan and Korea is also much larger and much more knowledgeable, as well as better connected. If a vendor regularly makes mistakes like that, news will travel fast and they'll be out of business in no time.

Of course there are straight up dishonest people and scammers out there too, even in Korea and Japan, but that's a whole different issue.