Steve: This is indeed one pitfall, but as you say, I think the benefits
outweigh the hazards. The likelihood of 2 purchasers of the same seed-grown
hybrid choosing the _same_ cultivar name seems far less, to me, than the
likelihood of say, 5 different purchasers of divisions of the same plant
choosing 5 _different_ cultivar names for what are actually pieces of the
same plant, if there's not already a cultivar name on it. Kenni

"Steve" wrote in message
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I don't have a question; I understand all of this. Suppose I buy a
seedling Catt, for example. Lots of other people buy a seedling from that
cross too. It's a vigorous grower and I soon have a few divisions to sell
or give away. I decide to give it a clonal name before divisions go to
other people. I name it 'Spee'. Meanwhile, someone in California (who
shall remain nameless) has purchased a seedling of that same cross. By
some great coincidence, she decides to name hers 'Spee' also.
So I give away some plants, time passes and I loose track of where the
plants went. Now our California grower takes her Catt Whatever 'Spee' in
for judging and it earns an award. Catt Whatever 'Spee' AM/AOS.
Now a couple of people who ended up with one of my inferior, not award
worthy, plants sees that 'Spee' got the AM/AOS. Oh boy! They add AM/AOS to
their tag because they read that the 'Spee' clone got an award.

As I said, I have no question. It's just that it's almost ... ALMOST ... a
reason to refrain from giving an ordinary plant a clonal name. Maybe it
illustrates a reason to give truly unique clonal names (Spee should have
done it). The benefits outweigh the hazards I think. Give those plants a
clonal name anyway, because it does help keep a group of clones all to be
named the same.

Steve