Help! Is this Blc. George King 'Serendipity'? (pics)

[Orchidreamer]

I've really been looking for Blc George King 'Serendipity', so I bought one (it has a label). However, when it bloomed, I'm not sure if it really is George King 'Serendipity.' The flowers look a bit different from the ones online. I'm not sure if this is "normal" variation or my plant is a completely different hybrid. What do you think?

Here are pictures of the flowers (they opened 3 days ago). The two flowers look different from each other. One flower is a little lopsided with a bigger lip, and and the other flower's slightly smaller (and strangely, the edges of its petals are starting to brown). I'm not sure what's wrong. I don't know if it has anything to do with its transition from a greenhouse to my house. Any ideas?

[catwalker808]

This is Blc George King 'Serendipity'. Your plant must be a different hybrid.

[Call_Me_Bob]

They look somewhat similar. Could be the same cross but not a clone if that cultivar, definitely not. Crosses can have different variations. Although there is still a possibility ofthis being a different hybrid altogether

[RobS]

Both flower are however deformed. This could be due to a number of reasons: to cold, mutation, chemical treatment, etc.

I wouldn't dare to say that it is or isn't at least colour wise it looks very similar.

[POLKA]

Howdy

My educated guess is that since you bought it new, and you didn't mention it being a division, but rather new, I will supposed you bought a first blooming plant. First blooms are seldom quite right to the more mature blossoms--think gawky teenager.

Then, recent reading about Geo King is that he's been around a while, and the mericlones the past several years have been pinker than the original -- from cloning clones, etc.

So, my educated guess would be to say that most likely you have the correct plant, and that it will bloom much better next time. If I remember right, it definitely blooms in fall, and might bloom again in springtime--it is half Bob Betts, right??

Take care
May all your orchids bloom like crazy

Rex
aka POLKA

[cattmad]

I think you have a George King but not a ' Serendipity '. My view is you may have a remake as George King does not have any flaring on the petals. ( Refer to my George King ' Serendipity ' ).

[tucker85]

The second flower looks a little more like 'Serendipity' than the first. I agree that you need to see how it blooms for you next year. Mine has bloomed every November and is in bloom now. My gut feeling is tha your's doesn't look quite right. Here's a picture of mine. Good luck.

[Eyebabe]

The newer mericlones of George King 'Serendipity' lean toward pink.
The older clones are more salmon colored.
More than likely you have a more recent mericlone of the plant.
Furthermore, age and growing conditions can also effect flowering and pigment intensity from what I have read.
Your flowers do not look opened completely and the first already seems to have some wilt in the petals without the lip entirely open. Not sure what to make of that and maybe some others can comment.
In my opinion, however, you have the right plant.

[Orchidreamer]

Thanks everyone for the replies! The plant has 30+ pbulbs so I don't think it's a first bloom plant.

As to the wilting of the petals and the strange deformity, I'm kinda stumped. I don't know if the previous grower used any chemicals. Also, I had the plant shipped to me while the buds were coming out of the sheath. It was also shipped out of its pot. My house is 65 deg and humidity is 40%--maybe it's too low? I really hope the deformity is due to the environment rather than genes!

Thanks for showing me the lovely pictures. It looks like in those pics, the lips have a more pronounced yellow patch and a triangular magenta shape. Hmm, it sounds like I can't know for sure until next year.

Also, is it true that the petals might turn more salmon-colored as the flower matures? I really LOVE the salmon color...a lil' disappointed that mine is pink.

[tucker85]

Shipping the plant bare root while in bud could definately explain why the blooms are not formed well. Next year you'll get to see what it's really going to look like. Good luck.