Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton m. Splash'

[SouthPark]

I had been super interested in acquiring Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton' for a very long time. I finally managed to acquire a few mature plants of 'Sweet Afton' - fingers crossed that the plants (flowers) will at least look something like the original plant (flowers) from Stewart's --- because so much mericloning had been done, and mutations have been seen. So I hope that my plants are actually 'Sweet Afton'. Chances are good - a well-known orchid nursery had these stashed for quite a long time.

While the relatively-old 'Sweet Afton' cultivar appears to be obtainable without too much effort in USA, Japan, UK, Brazil (maybe) ..... it seems hard to find here in Australia --- these days.

This attached photo is not of 'Sweet Afton'. It's a mutation from it. For the moment - it's the closest I've ever come to 'Sweet Afton'. This photo was taken by the previous owner (a well-known grower of orchids in Australia), and he very generously sold this orchid to me this year.

Will take more photos for the next flowering!

The name I am putting down isn't official. I am tagging it as Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton m. Splash', which pays tribute to the originator and name 'Sweet Afton', and m. is for mutation occurred, and 'Splash' is for the colouring in the petals, which doesn't occur in 'Sweet Afton'.

Nice to share this photo with everybody here on orchidboard.

[Ray]

You sure it's not a hybrid made with Helen Brown?

There's not a great deal of splash-petaled genetics in the background that would lead to this.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Ray

You sure it's not a hybrid made with Helen Brown?

There's not a great deal of splash-petaled genetics in the background that would lead to this.

I didn't think about the chance of it being merely a result from the grex hybrid Memoria Helen Brown. It's plausible though Ray - if I question the tag. Although, I wouldn't be surprised about a mutation from 'Sweet Afton' leading to a touch of perloric look.

We've certainly seen (online) plants which people have labelled 'Sweet Afton Splash', which may or may not be mutations of Sweet Afton, but these so-called 'Sweet Afton Splash' flowers don't look anything like 'Sweet Afton'. The lip in particular. I'll ask the previous owner about where he acquired this plant - get some history if possible.

I previously didn't have any suspicions about this particular plant due to noticeable resemblance of the lip when compared with 'Sweet Afton'. But Roy reckons it's one of the results of a selfing. Plausible. But I don't know that for sure.

I'll do some asking. I don't mind results of a selfing of Sweet Afton. I've mainly been chasing the greenish colour of the tepals - with a lip that resembles more-or-less the awarded 'Sweet Afton' shape, with similar pattern/colouring on the lip.

I've got a few big plants of 'Sweet Afton' ------ acquired from a well-known nursery that was using them for hybridising with other kinds of plants. Waiting for them to flower ----- with hopes that at least one will have flowers close to what I'm looking for. I initially had 4 of these 'Sweet Afton' plants (not the 'mutation' one or suspected 'selfing' one) purchased just last year --- and gave 1 away (as a token of appreciation) to the person that eventually led me to the 'right' connection.

I sent a message off just moments ago to the previous owner (of the plant in the photo). I'll let you know about any answer(s) I get. Thanks Ray!

[Roy]

This is a "Selfing" of Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton'.
Rlc. Mem. Helen Brown & whatever you want to call it but NOT 'Sweet Afton'.
This has been around for many years & from memory, its lucky to be in flower. Reported to be a complete dog.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Roy

This is a "Selfing" of Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton'.

I'll look into the possibility of this. In the past, I was trying to get in touch with Bruce (ie. Bruce Ah Sing), who surprisingly turns out to live in Australia - somewhere, who definitely has 'Sweet Afton'. But looks like he's no longer active in any forums. I'd be super keen to purchase a division from him if that is even possible. I initially thought he lived outside of Australia. Bruce Ah Sing has previously posted in orchidboard forum, as well as other forums.

His flower is still seen at : click here. He certainly has Sweet Afton.

I also noticed that Ron-NY and Dorsetman also have it. Excellent specimens.

That particular thread was started by Brutal Dreamer. However, Brutal Dreamer's plant is not 'Sweet Afton'. Brutal Dreamer's flower has consistently the wrong shape lip ----- and I also don't believe that culture and growing environment is going to activate something that causes prominent toothy serrated edges to be formed all around the lip rim of a 'Sweet Afton'. Those serrated edges can be seen in Brutal Dreamer's flower. But - even so - there is consistently significant discrepancy in lip shape between his flowers and the ones of 'Sweet Afton'.

When taking a look at every single awarded Sweet Afton (around the world), and when we take a look at Bruce Ah Sing's flower, and Ron-NY's and Dorsetman's flowers ----- they all look like the previously awarded Sweet Afton flowers. These plants are in different parts of the world, and all pretty much look the same - and that is good.

On the other hand, Brutal Dreamer's flowers are consistently different - because his plant is not 'Sweet Afton'. And one reason for my commenting on Brutal Dreamer's plant - is because he appears to have ignored (deliberately) Bruce Ah Sing's reasonable and accurate remarks.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Roy

its lucky to be in flower.

Just noticed this previous comment only now Roy.

Merely addressing that comment - the plant had a spike for every pseudobulb - a spiking/flowering probability of 100%.


Above: bases of old spikes on every pseudobulb.



Also, interestingly ...... uncanny resemblance in lip pattern with this plant seen on the internet, reference: click here. I get the feeling that theirs is either a mutant or a selfing too (ie. might not be 'Sweet Afton').

[SouthPark]

This is the latest flowering from the same plant in the opening post. It's been 3 days since the bud began some activity - taking 3 days for the petals to break out of the sepal casing. Still opening right now.


Above: camera flash used. Flower still opening.

Note - the image at the time of upload was 1024 x 683 pixels with a filesize of 244 kilobyte. The OrchidBoard image processing software has automatically 'compressed' the image file - so that the uploaded image filesize became 74.2 kilobyte. So the quality (detail/clarity) of the OrchidBoard 1023 x 682 pixel image will not be as good as the original 1024 x 683 pixel image. That's due to OrchidBoard's image-processing-software applying 'compression' on uploaded images. I have no problem with that - but simply mentioning this after having just noticed it

UPDATE: I will call this one Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton m. Splash' - unofficially, as a long-time and very experienced orchid breeder kindly mentioned to me that he had seen this one a very long time ago - a result of mutation from 'Sweet Afton' mericloning. It is not a mutated selfing of 'Sweet Afton'.

In any case - it means this particular orchid is not a 'Sweet Afton' even though it is very closely related to it.



Above: no camera flash - much more flower opening to go (I hope!). Notice that the left-hand side of the lip (or rather - the front lobe) is lower in level than the right-hand side of the lip. Somewhat lopsided. It is like the palm of a hand not parallel to the ground. Tilted.


Above: Photo taken early the following morning. This is truly a case of undivine intervention for aesthetic reasons only. The left-hand side of the lip (when looking directly at the flower) was at a lower level - relative to the right-hand side. This is just due to the way this particular flower had turned out while opening. I will see what happens if I purposely place a 'helping hand' or 'helping finger' under the left-side of the lip for a while. Maybe nothing will happen - hard to say right now. The idea is to prop it up for a while until the 'wind changes' or when the flower sets or becomes less flexible. It might not do anything at all. And it gets a bit breezy in that region where the orchid is - which could spoil things. But it's an idea. Undivine intervention


Above: A view of the lip looking straight down onto it - over the top. Petals still in the process of opening. A nice spiral pattern in the middle lobe. Stuck in this position is ok!



UPDATE: The 'helping hands' (helping 'fingers') idea actually worked. It worked rather excellently.

The idea of manual 'correction' of the lip position provided excellent results. This was done by using the 'helping hands' to keep things in place until the lip tissue became firmer - perhaps like the brand new wing of a new butterfly soon after it emerges from its chrysalis - requiring time to harden. The lip is now perfectly 'level', and appears to be permanently set. The 'helping hands' are no longer needed!


Above: The lip level is now permanently 'leveled'. I'm fairly confident that I could also easily use the 'helping hands' to correct the positioning of the upper sepal. And the right-hand side petal could easily have its upper edge lifted up little further using my 'helping hands' setting method (ie. hold for 1 or 2 days method, for setting).

There are actually much more versatile (modern) 'helping hands' devices (which I also have). I think I will try that device to enhance the shape of the right-side petal.

I don't think it's actually necessary to physically intervene. This is just being done out of interest and aesthetics.


Above: An interesting feature in the coloured petals is that there is white colour mixed in with the purple, giving the appearance of 'out-of-focus' petal tips. The focus was actually fine. The out-of-focus look is just due to the way the colours formed in the sides of the petals.



A note to the previous owner of this particular orchid. A genuine and tremendous thanks goes out to you for so generously allowing me the opportunity to grow this very elegant orchid. You are a great person and a fantastic orchid grower.

Also - the grex Memoria Helen Brown came from the work of Fred A. Stewart of Stewart Orchids.

[SouthPark]

A couple of years later now ----- just adding a post, which is left for the seller that I very fortunately and circumstantially encountered - that allowed me to acquire Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton' itself - last year, in 2020. Thank you very much!

It has been (no under-statement) a super long journey --- super duper long journey, in which I was thinking that I'd never actually ever be able to see 'Sweet Afton'. But thanks to sheer luck, and other people growing 'Sweet Afton' (in Australia, but mostly under-the-radar), and continual search and hope ----- things turned out very nicely. Will leave the link to new thread (2021) here with 'Sweet Afton' pics. Link.

Regarding orchid breeding --- all credit goes to Stewart Orchids (not around anymore - but is still very much 'present' - in the wonderful orchids that they produced).

[Roy]

The one thing you will need to keep in mind. 'Sweet Afton' never mericloned well. One in 10 or 20 plants flowered well. It was then selfed which produced rubbish with one or two a bit better, ie. the one you posted being one of those. This in turn was mericloned & one in 50 plants were good enough to keep. I looked back at the discussion with BD & I think it says all on the subject for a proper 'Sweet Afton'

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Roy

The one thing you will need to keep in mind. 'Sweet Afton' never mericloned well. One in 10 or 20 plants flowered well. It was then selfed which produced rubbish with one or two a bit better, ie. the one you posted being one of those. This in turn was mericloned & one in 50 plants were good enough to keep. I looked back at the discussion with BD & I think it says all on the subject for a proper 'Sweet Afton'

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I've had extensive discussions with people within AOS about that kind of thing, and have even collected scans of film camera photos of 'Sweet Afton' from members ----- all looking just as expected - like 'Sweet Afton'.

I mentioned in my posts (earlier) about the large amount of repeated mericloning, and repeated mericloning of mericlones that occurred. Mutation due to mericloning processes did occur, so mutated plants are not Sweet Afton. Results of selfing's are not Sweet Afton. If it does turn out (after I find out) that my plant is the result of a selfing, then I'm happy to just call it Rlc. Memoria Helen Brown. I'll be absolutely happy with that. I tried to get in touch with Bruce Ah Sing ----- to increase my chances of gaining a 'Sweet Afton' flower - or one that looks as close to classic form as I can get.

The nice thing is that the 'Sweet Afton' plants at least did make it to Australia, and at least one received an AOC award.

Bruce Ah Sing, Ron-NY and Dorsetman certainly have 'Sweet Afton'. The words 'proper' and 'true-form' Sweet Afton is kind of like an over-kill on the description ----- because 'Sweet Afton' refers to plants with exact DNA match-up with the very original 'Sweet Afton'. Any plant that hasn't got identical DNA match-up (including mutations etc) is not 'Sweet Afton'. I know that you know this already. And we both know that Brutal Dreamer's plant is not Sweet Afton.

Brutal Dreamer should have done some cross-checks and verification (photos, chat to AOS etc) before wrongly putting a photo of a flower in his book 'Orchids Through Our Eyes' under the label of Blc. Memoria Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton' AM/AOS. Surprised that he doesn't ever mention that his flower looks nothing like Bruce Ah Sing's, Ron-NY's and Dorsetman's flowers --- and all Sweet Afton's that were ever awarded. I'm sure that he knows it though. It is interesting in that Brutal Dreamer ignores all posts that questions the ID of his flower/plant.

I prefer not to call any plants 'rubbish' - regardless of their form or appearance. It's not their fault that they were cloned/mericloned/grown/introduced etc. It's us humans that did it. I know what you mean though ----- as you're referring to plants that don't meet a breeder's expectations or bench-mark levels. Maybe the breeding contingent has a benign word for those plants that they consider below expectations ..... eg. use a codeword such 'b plants' or 'b grade plants'.

Originally Posted by Roy

I looked back at the discussion with BD & I think it says all on the subject for a proper 'Sweet Afton'

Totally agree with you on that one Roy. And Brutal Dreamer should have addressed Bruce Ah Sing's comments - rather than deliberately ignore him.