Yes, I've read it in at least one of my many orchid books. I don't
think it's the same as bud blast. In the early days of my keeping
orchids, perfectly healthy buds would abort mysteriously relatively soon
after I'd got them home. Then I read about their dislike of movement,
obliging them to twist on the stem. Since then, I've taken particular
care when manoeuvering them and had no casualites, which would seem to
bear it out.

I'm wondering now, because of what you say, if this habit refers
especially to the smaller buds which appear to have no pedicel (which
would allow them to move), and that bigger buds with developed pedicel
are freer to move. Interesting.


Sounds to me as if the best thing to do is to select your plant/s from
the middle of the trolley in the supermarket where they have had maximum
shading, then cover them with a black bag over their head on the journey
home, then position them with the young buds facing the light.
Then pray you got it right.