I would like to present a new candidate for this week - (Clowesetum JEM's Dragon Tears 'SVO' AM/AOS x Catasetum Orchidglade 'Davie Ranches' AM/AOS).

This is unregistered hybrid.

Clowesetum JEM's Dragon Tears is a cross between Clowesia warczewitzii x Catasetum cirrhaeoides.

Catasetum Orchidglade is a cross between Catasetum pileatum x Catasetum expansum.

So, we have combination of 3 Catasetum species and 1 Clowesia species.

Previous Awards:

There is no awards for this cross.

There are 3 AOS awards for Clowesetum JEM's Dragon Tears. Clowesetum JEM's Dragon Tears 'SVO' AM/AOS has been awarded in Dec. 19, 2011.

There are 22 AOS awards for Catasetum Orchidglade. Catasetum Orchidglade 'Davie Ranches' AM/AOS has been awarded in Oct. 1, 1980.

The most recent award was in May 2016, cultivar 'Nicola' HCC/AOS 78 pts.

Description:

17 flowers on one inflorescence 28 cm long.

Flower Measurements:

NS H - 6.5 cm; NS V - 5.2 cm;

Dorsal Sep. W - 2.0 cm; Dorsal Sep. L - 3.5 cm;

Petal W - 2.0 cm; Petals L - 3.5 cm;

Lat/Sepal W - 2.2 cm; Lat/Sepal L - 3.5 cm;

Lip/Pouch W - 3.5 cm; Lip/Pouch L - 4.0 cm.

Judges' Comments

Kristen Mason (Accredited Judge, Cincinnati Judging Center)

Beautiful color and pattern with good saturation and contrast on a full flower. Lips are beautifully shaped. Good consistency in form. Sepals form is an improvement over the Orchidglade parent. Flowers are cupped, but overall is an improvement over parents. Display on the inflorescence is not as good as either parent. Flower count is good. Size is as expected for the parents. I pointed this at 77 points.

Al Messina (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Seventeen good size flowers nicely displayed on one pendant inflorescence; size and floriferousness at about the geometric mean of parents; form and color quite good, in several cases better than parents; arrangement slightly suboptimal; overall qualifies as an AM flower, 80-82 points.

Deb Boersma (Student Judge, Great Lakes Judging Center)

Clowesetum JEM’s Dragon Tears ‘SVO’ AM/AOS × Catasetum Orchidglade ‘Davie Ranchers’ AM/AOS

Beautiful flower that has inherited the nice spotted pattern on all segments from both parents, the wide lip and larger flower segments and natural spread from the Catasetum parent and the fimbriate lip margin from the Clowesetum parent. The flower looks a little flatter than the Catasetum parent and fuller than the Clowesetum parent. It has picked up positive traits from both parents. This plant has 17 flowers on one inflorescence, the Clowesetum parent had 55 flowers on two inflorescence. This candidate is less floriferous and the flowers are not displayed very well on the inflorescence. I believe that it has potential but needs to mature and perhaps awardable on the next blooming with more flowers and better flower arrangement. I would not nominate it on this blooming.

Tom Mirenda (Accredited Judge, Hawaii Judging Center)

An attractive hybrid with great colors, decent size and respectable form.

Individual flower is impressive with pointilist spots throughout, and terrific fringed lip.

Back crossing to another Catasetum may have reduced potential flower count.

While flower is probably awardable, I would like to see more from this grex before granting a quality award in this case.

Unfortunately, the arrangement of the inflorescence is not too good, which marrs the overall quality and presentation.

If scored…I could probably get to a midrange HCC.

Filippo Pilloni (Associate Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia, Bologna, Italy)

The flowers are exactly the average I would expect from this hybrid but unfortunately the small size is inherited from the JEM's Dragon Tears; the vivid color of the lip is interesting, with the callus clearly in evidence, and it’s fraying along the entire edge. I would have preferred a more open and less cupped flower and a higher flower count (at least 20) knowing the lineage.

The plant, in perfect health, seems to me to be in its first flowering, so I trust it will do better in the next few years.

All things considered, my score is 75 points (HCC).

Aldo Rozzo (Associate Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia, Bologna, Italy)

It’s evident this hybrid is what you would expect from its ancestry. The only species that seems to have disappeared is the Ctsm. cirrhaeoides. The shape of the flower, the serrated lip, the callus are traits common to other Clowesetums. The average flower size between the two parents is clearly not favored by JEM’s Dragon Tears, I would have preferred if in this aspect it was more similar to Ctsm. Orchidglade.

Another trait inherited from the JDT is the large number of flowers close together, the high number of flowers is also typical of Orchidglade. This specimen is probably very young and is not yet at its maximum potential, I expect many more flowers from a mature specimen. 77 points of encouragement (HCC).

Alejandro Capriles (Accredited Judge, Società Felsinea di Orchidofilia, Bologna, Italy, retired AOS Judge)

This cross is probably what I would’ve expected from such parents - there seems to be a balance of traits from both sides, with no major influence from either. The plant appears to be quite young, possibly a first-bloom seedling, which would explain the less-than-average number of flowers I would have expected from such lineage. Balanced, pleasing form and sharp coloration are to be noted, but overall I would rather wait to see the plant in subsequent years to see it reach its full potential, which is promising. At present, I would score 73 points as is.

Will Riley (Accredited Judge, West Palm Beach Judging Center)

This very nicely grown plant, notable for rich and attractive coloring. Even though the flower count is within the mean, the arrangement is lacking. Additionally, considering that Ctsm. Orchidglade contributes 50% of the background I would have liked to seen less cupped flowers. I would not score this plant at this time.

Elena Skoropad (Associate Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Clowesetum JEM's Dragon Tears x Catasetum Orchidglade

There are no awards for this cross.

First parent Clowesetum JEM's Dragon Tears has 3 AOS awards - 3 AMs from 80 to 81 points. One of awarded plants had 55 flowers on 2 inflorescences. Clowesetum can produce a very large flower count, but relatively smaller flower size.

Second parent Catasetum Orchidglade has 26 awards - majority of them are AMs ranging from 80 to 86, few HCC and CCM as well. Catasetum Orchidglade can produce very large flowers, some of HCC have NS 10 plus cm flowers and average flower count was 16 flowers on one inflorescence.

Our candidate has a very attractive colour palette and good flower count for one inflorescence; however the plant is lacking presentation of flowers; the flowers are all over the place, some flowers are missing or already done blooming. The flower size is on a smaller side NS 6.5 cm; I like spotted flowers and deep maroon colour overlaid yellow base. If judges would like to recognize this new cross and score; I would score in low HCC range 76 point. Otherwise I would pass on this plant and wait until next blooming.

The grower did a wonderful job - the plant looks very happy and healthy. Please bring it back when it blooms next time.

Thank you,

Elena

Donna Ballard (Associate Judge, Pacific South Judging Center)

The color is really nice, the flower count is within range of its parents, the arrangement could use improvement but overall it looks good. I looked at the parents and the comparative natural spread is impressive. I would probably want to score it should I have one come up in a real judging.

Exhibitor - David and Joan Rosenfeld, NJ

Virtual Award Description

Seventeen cupped, full flowers on one 28-cm pendent inflorescence; flowers light yellow blotched maroon; petals densely blotched maroon; lip fimbriate, blotched maroon basally, finely spotted maroon apically, callus deep golden yellow; column yellow; anther cap cream; substance firm; texture - sepal and petals matte, lip waxy; fragrant.

Grower's Advice

Plant purchased from SVO 4 years ago. Second year it has bloomed. In a 6 inch plastic pot and grown in NZ sphagnum. Water with fertilizer twice a week during the growing season. Last year it bloomed a second time in January.