Asahi image Copyright Evelyn Drew


Hybridizing with Phalaenopsis Species
by Bill Livingston

Phalaenopsis amabilis

Many of the choice clones of Phalaenopsis amabilis used by U .S. hybridizers to develop our large standard whites were triploids, tetraploids, and aneuploids. The earliest clones of P. amabilis used in breeding were diploids, but through observation and selective breeding, hybridizers have brought improvements into the flowers we enjoy today. Some of the early white phalaenopsis hybrids had a faint crimson color on the back of the flowers. Because American Orchid Society judges took points off the plants' flower quality award scores for this, hybridizers started a breeding program to eliminate this coloring by using selected clones which had very little or no crimson color. They started to self- and sibling-cross among these clones, and then selected the best progeny. After a few generations they had clean and clear white flowers; today most whites have no crimson coloring.

Many years ago, Alberts and Merkel Bros. of Boyington Beach, Florida, took two P. Doris clones which had this crimson coloration on the back of the flowers, and crossed them. This color was intensified in the hybrids. The progeny were sibling-crossed and back-crossed for many years, causing darker and darker color throughout the flower, and you could not recognize these flowers as being white. They were finely shaped pinks. I crossed two clones, one an F9 generation, and the other an F14 generation, and when the hybrids bloomed they were very dark, of outstanding shape, and without crippling. The only drawback was poor flower substance and vigor, which I am sure was the result of too much inbreeding. When Mr. Merkel visited our nursery one day, I showed him some of my F15 hybrids, and he was surprised at the color and shape we were getting; he could not believe these were from his original crossing. Selective breeding can make whites whiter, or increase the pink pigment until the flower is very pink. Breeding any of these clones resulted in white flowers when crossed with whites, although some of the backs of these flowers were blushed like Mr. Merkel's original clones. When bred with a pink clone like P. Zada, the hybrids did not darken, tending to be lighter pink. This was not a 'pink gene' to be passed on for the pink coloring.

[Webmaster's Note: There is a photo of one these pink tetraploid Doris in the Photo Gallery on this site.]



This article which has been reprinted here with permission, originally appeared in the Volume 66, Number 4 edition of Orchid Digest, (Oct-Dec 2002), which is a Special Edition that highlights Phalaenopsis, and also features an excellent article on Phal culture by the Tuskes. The Phalaenopsis Special Edition of Orchid Digest can be ordered from Orchid Digest for $22. Highly recommended.

This article, all of its sections and accompanying photographs
are copyright 2002 by Orchid Digest Corporation.


Note: This site uses Javascript Navigation Controls;
if you have Javascript disabled on your Browser,
you will need to use the Site Map to navigate this site.


Robert Bedard Horticulture • Scotts Valley, CA • (831) 439-9484
All content ©2005 by Robert Bedard. Last update: 12/10/05
Dtps. Asahi Image Copyright Evelyn Jenkins Drew