Artistic Phal - good or bad for competition?

[JanS]

We have a Phal that we rescued from certain death by a friend and after recuperating it flowered last year and again this year. It's one of those "average" Home Depot-type plants. What's interesting is that it makes a different accent pattern on every flower it ever generated!
Last year one of it's flowers had a red accent shaped like a rabbit outline - we used its photo for Easter greetings (see attached pic.). This year it's so far come up with dots and "ink-blot" shapes (see the other 2 pics.)

It's fun to see what else this little "artiste" come up with. But I also would like to ask the orchid show veterans on this board about the consequences of this type of behavior in orchid competitions (I have no plans to enter it anywhere - just am interested): Is this an automatic doom for a plant during a contest? Or would it potentially be seen as an "interesting" asset?

[WhiteRabbit]

Cool! I think it's usual for blooms with splotchy type markings to all be unique, tho I'm not an expert. But that's been my experience with Oncidium alliance that have spots or splotches.

[RosieC]

I would agree with Sonya that I think it's usual for splotch types to do this. No idea from a show point of view, but I would guess if it's normal then it's what they would expect.

[tucker85]

I'm not an expert on judging but I think they look for good flower shape, flatness of the flower, quality of the color, presentation on the spike. I don't think the fact that each flower is different would affect the judging.

[Cym Ladye]

The question from JanS was "could it be entered in a show?" The answer is "yes" as long as it has a name showing its parents if not the registered name of the plant. However, if an exhibitor has never entered a show before and would therefore qualify for the Novice class, many shows will allow you to show a plant with no name. Once you get into the Intermediate and Advanced classes, exhibitors are expected to show plants with registered names or know the parents.

As far as ribbons and trophies to be awarded go, some clubs will allow well grown Novice entries with no registered names or parents to get awards, some will not.

The lack of names on plants being sold in the market place today, especially in the Phal Alliance, is resulting in more and more plants entering the show rooms unidentified. Each show giving club handles it differently.

Soo bottom line for you: if you have a good bloom on your plant, enter it in your local show as Phal unknown. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and it is free to enter.


Cyn Ladye