Oncidium Ron's Rippling Delight

Oncidium Ron's Rippling Delight

If the last two orchids could be described as elegant (Oncidium Irish Mist) and showy (Oncidium Volcano Midnight), then this one falls in the category of 'strikingly odd'.  At least in my opinion.

This is a slightly older hybrid, registered in 1980. Looking at the flower shape, I would have expected for Oncidium fuscatum to once again show up somewhere in the parentage of this orchid.  And indeed, this is the case.

Oncidium Ron's Rippling Delight is a primary hybrid between two Oncidium species: Oncidium fuscatum and Oncidium schroederianum. More than any hybrid I've yet posted about, this orchid looks like a direct mix of its parents.

Parentage of Oncidium Ron's Rippling Delight

Photo credits:

Oncidium schroederianum by Arne and Bent Larsen (Wikimedia commons gallery) 

Oncidium fuscatum by Eduardo A. Pacheco (Flickr gallery)

Oncidium Volcano Midnight 'Volcano Queen'

Oncidium Volcano Midnight 'Volcano Queen'

I am continuing my series of posts on the orchids from this years New York Orchid Show.  I'd like to stick with the oncidiums and related hybrids, so at to better draw connections between the orchids I write about.  I am noticing various species showing up again and again in my genealogy trees, and this will let me better highlight such links.  Once I finish with the oncidium-like orchids, I will move on to other genera.

Closeup of Oncidium Volcano Midnight 'Volcano Queen'

The orchid of this post is Oncidium Volcano Midnight 'Volcano Queen'.  It is a showy and prolific plant, with numerous sprays of burgundy and cream colors. The hybrid was registered in 2009 by Akatsuka Orchid Gardens, a Hawaii based orchid nursery.

Genealogy of Oncidium Volcano Midnight

The genealogy of this hybrid is relative simple. The breeding scheme looks deliberate.  What I mean by this is, there is none of the twisted knots of crosses and back-crosses like seen in the lineage of Oncostele Wildcat, for example. This genealogy tree shows basically the most efficient way to combine 5 orchid species into one hybrid.

Orchid species in background of Oncidium Volcano Midnight

Photo credits:

Oncidium sphacelatum, by AntanO (Wikimedia commons)

Oncidium fuscatum by Eduardo A. Pacheco (Flickr gallery)

Oncidium Cariniferum photo (C) Eric Hunt (see his orchid photo website, also, Flickr gallery)

Oncidium incurvum, by Averater (Wikimedia commons)

Oncidium nezlianum, by orchid-a-day.tumblr.com/

Here are the five species that were bred to create Oncidium Volcano Midnight. Once again, Oncidium fuscatum shows up in the mix.  This species has also come up in the genealogy of Oncidium Irish Mist and Oncostele Wildcat. It is a widely used species in oncidium breeding because of its numerous, plentiful flowers, and because it hybridizes easily with other oncidium species. 

I've also come across Oncidium cariniferum before; it is a parent of Colmanara Masai Red. I have not yet encountered Oncidium noezlianum before, but I was struck by the lush red tones of its flowers. Unsurprisingly, this stunning species has also been frequently used in the creation of many modern oncidium hybrids. In fact, it has been a direct parent to 160 hybrids.

Oncidium Irish Mist 'Big Hot Sun'

Oncidium Irish Mist 'Big Hot Sun'

This oncidium really captured my attention at the New York Orchid show this year.  It is an understated and elegant kind of orchid.  Something about the delicate apple-green hue of these flowers makes them stand out among other brighter and showier orchids. The judges at the American Orchid Society must have agreed, when they awarded the clone 'Big Hot Sun' with the Award of Merit (AM) distinction.

Oncidium Irish Mist 'Big Hot Sun' zoomed out view

Oncidium Irish Mist is a primary hybrid between two South American orchid species: Oncidium multistellare and Oncidium fuscatum. It was registered by Mauna Kea Orchids in 2009. In addition to 'Big Hot Sun', there is another clone named 'Wintergreen'.  The two clones seem to have identical looking flowers.

Oncidium Irish Mist parentage: a primary cross between Oncidium multistellare and Oncidium fuscatum

Photo credits:

Oncidium multistellare, by Association Aboise d'Orchidophilie Exotique

Oncidium fuscatum by Eduardo A. Pacheco (Flickr gallery)

Oncidium Irish Mist is highly fragrant, due to its parent Oncidium fuscatum. The color of the flowers appears to be primarily inherited from Oncidium multistellare, and the flower shape is a mixture of both parents.

If Oncidium fuscatum looks familiar, that is because it was also a progenitor for Oncostele Wildcat. This orchid species is frequently used in oncidium hybridizing, and I expect I'll be coming across it again in future posts.

More photos: 

New Orchid! Phalaenopsis OX Black Face 'OX 1647'

Phalaenopsis OX Black Face 'OX 1647'

I have a new orchid, and I am enamored. This is maybe the first time that I've bought an orchid online, and had the flowers exceed my expectation.  The fact that this orchid arrived in bloom is a bonus.

These flowers are almost 4" wide, and a deep purple color.  Under fluorescent lights, they look more purple, while under natural sunlight, a redder hue shows through.  There is a velvety depth of color to these blooms that I love.  And it seems like the orchid is fragrant as well!  There is a subtle rose scent to the flowers.

Phalaenopsis OX Black Face 'OX 1647'

Phalaenopsis OX Black Face 'OX 1647' closeup

I'm still working on the geneaology for this orchid, which I hope to post in the next couple of days.  In the meantime, I hope some more of these flower buds will open soon.