CCM Awards - Orchid Board

2ljd · #1 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 08:09 PM

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the right place to ask the question, but if a plant receives a CCM award and is then subsequently divided, does the CCM award necessarily follow the division? I've been given different answers in the past...

ronaldhanko · #2 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 09:06 PM

The CCM is really not awarded to the plant but to the exhibitor. Though it is often included in the information for a plant it really does not belong with the plant at all, whether divided or undivided. It is a one time, one blooming award. The manual for the AOS says: "CCM (Certificate of Cultural Merit) -
Awarded to the exhibitor of a well-flowered specimen plant of robust health. The plant must score more between 80 and 89 points inclusive on a 100-point scale."

2ljd · #3 (**permalink**) 09-29-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronaldhanko

The CCM is really not awarded to the plant but to the exhibitor. Though it is often included in the information for a plant it really does not belong with the plant at all, whether divided or undivided. It is a one time, one blooming award. The manual for the AOS says: "CCM (Certificate of Cultural Merit) -
Awarded to the exhibitor of a well-flowered specimen plant of robust health. The plant must score more between 80 and 89 points inclusive on a 100-point scale."

Thanks Ron, that's what I thought. There has been more than one person I've spoken to that insisted the CCM award would follow the plant or division.

littlefrog · #4 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 11:24 AM

I'm of the opinion that the CCM should follow the plant. If for no other reason than it would also facilitate a clonal name following the plant.

Although a CCM (or CCE) is to the grower, the plant does play a large part in the process. Plants which are awarded CCMs are typically more vigorous and more floriferous than normal. This is a trait you want to emphasize when you are selecting plants for your own collection. Will you get a CCM too? Probably not, but a plant labelled with a CCM award is likely to do better for you than one that hasn't received a cultural award.

Rob

ronaldhanko · #5 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlefrog

I'm of the opinion that the CCM should follow the plant. If for no other reason than it would also facilitate a clonal name following the plant.

Although a CCM (or CCE) is to the grower, the plant does play a large part in the process. Plants which are awarded CCMs are typically more vigorous and more floriferous than normal. This is a trait you want to emphasize when you are selecting plants for your own collection. Will you get a CCM too? Probably not, but a plant labelled with a CCM award is likely to do better for you than one that hasn't received a cultural award.

Rob

I can't speak with the same authority as Rob - he's in the judging system and I'm not, but my statement was based on the AOS manual which clearly states that the award is to the exhibitor and not the plant, and on a discussion some years ago in the Houston Judging Center in which one of the AOS judges gave a presentation on this matter and the judges were very nearly unanimous that the the award was a one time thing to a specific plant and a specific blooming of that plant. I don't remember that anyone had any objection to the award information being included with the plant for the reasons Rob gave, but a division of the plant does not really carry the award even then.

littlefrog · #6 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 12:34 PM

My opinions are my own in this case, I wouldn't presume to speak for the entire judging system. I agree that the award is to the exhibitor, not the plant, but you still need to give the plant a clonal name to claim the award (and pay for it), and the award is published. We (or at least I) use cultural awards in doing research for quality awards, too. I can assure you that a plant with poor quality flowers will almost never receive a cultural award, even if it has a lot. It has happened (once, in my personal experience), but I'd say that flower quality is definitely a major component of a cultural award.

Given all that, and the fact that I'd personally want to know that a clone had received a CCM so that I could have an idea of its vigor, I'd still come down on the side of leaving the award with the plant. I do not approve of using the CCM award to sell plants based on anything but vigor, however. To claim a plant has outstanding flowers and use a CCM as proof is really the wrong thing to do.

I can bring this up at our center, however, it is an interesting topic (I'm in charge of education, so I get to pick the topics). I think if you asked 50 different judges you'd get 54 different opinions...

Rob

2ljd · #7 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlefrog

My opinions are my own in this case, I wouldn't presume to speak for the entire judging system. I agree that the award is to the exhibitor, not the plant, but you still need to give the plant a clonal name to claim the award (and pay for it), and the award is published. We (or at least I) use cultural awards in doing research for quality awards, too. I can assure you that a plant with poor quality flowers will almost never receive a cultural award, even if it has a lot. It has happened (once, in my personal experience), but I'd say that flower quality is definitely a major component of a cultural award.

Given all that, and the fact that I'd personally want to know that a clone had received a CCM so that I could have an idea of its vigor, I'd still come down on the side of leaving the award with the plant. I do not approve of using the CCM award to sell plants based on anything but vigor, however. To claim a plant has outstanding flowers and use a CCM as proof is really the wrong thing to do.

I can bring this up at our center, however, it is an interesting topic (I'm in charge of education, so I get to pick the topics). I think if you asked 50 different judges you'd get 54 different opinions...

Rob

Hmmm, thanks Rob for the information. You're probably right in that if you ask 50 different people, you'll get just as many different answers. Please do let us know what opinions you get in the future. So do you think the award should follow a division?

Phantasm · #8 (**permalink**) 09-30-2009, 08:35 PM

I agree with much of what Rob is saying, but according to the Handbook it is pretty straight forward. The award is to the exhibitor for his skill in growing and blooming the plant well. It doesn't hurt to put it on the tag as a sign of the potential of the plant, but many people don't.