Susan Erickson wrote:
Thanks for the help.
In case you did not guess -- I need to do a 5 min. synopsis of trends.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/orchids
Ah... Judging homework... So, I'll contribute my own two cents on
slippers, which probably is vastly different than anybody else's (since
I have no clue!), so perhaps we can start an argument. From my own
experience, the trend in phrag breeding (and buying) seems to be in
besseae x long petal types (Ruby Slippers), and is getting away from the
'besseae type' breeding (breeding for bigger and better besseaes, ala
Scarlet O'Hara). But that might be a fickle trend. A lot more interest
in soft pastel colors (from schlimii and fischeri influence). Of course
kovachii hybrids will be big, expect to see them everywhere in the next
couple of years.
I can't figure out paph breeding right now. I love maudiae types, and
that is what I'm buying (and trying to breed, with minimal success).
But they haven't been selling well this year, at least at shows around
me. A shame, since the influence of some of the newest generation of
sukhakulii (huge and wide petaled) is really a quantum leap forward in
this type of breeding. Coloratums are not selling at all, vinicolors
are selling a bit. I could have sold as many albinistic maudiae types
as I had, if I had been willing to part with them, so perhaps those are
becoming popular again. I think multiflorals are pretty much tapped
out, until we get some new species to work with. Complex breeding has
probably reached a pinnacle, there hasn't really been a major
improvement over the Winston Churchill type (big spotted complex) in the
last twenty years. They are still getting awards, but I'm not sure that
means much. Incremental progress at best. White/green complex breeding
seems to be peaking as well. Might see substantial activity in what
were described as 'teacup' complex in a recent Orchids Digest article -
wee little plants with good sized flowers. Based on the number of
people who ask me, there is a general resurgence in the demand for
complex 'bulldog' type paphs, so perhaps even if there isn't a great
improvement over previous years they are becoming more popular. The old
is new again? Like bell-bottom jeans, I guess.
--
Rob's Rules:
http://littlefrogfarm.com
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a) See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to obtain more
orchids, obtain more credit