New candidate for this month is Dendrobium Jean Minet (Den. pentapterum x Den. vexillarius). 

Dendrobium Jean Minet was originated and registered by Ecuagenera in 2020. This Dendrobium is the primary hybrid between Den. pentapterum and Den. vexillarius. The native range of the Den. pentapterum is Philippines (Mindanao) and Papua New Guinea. The native range of the Den. vexillarius is Bismarck Archipelago, Maluku and New Guinea.

Previous Awards:

There are 2 AOS awards for this cross (in 2021 and 2022).

Description:

The candidate plant has 21 flowers on 9 inflorescences. Plant has approximately 33 growths. Plant is 16 cm wide and 13 cm in height.

Flower Measurements:

NS H - 2.3 cm;                   NS V - 2.6 cm;

Dorsal Sep. W - 0.7 cm;    Dorsal Sep. L - 1.0 cm;

Petal W - 0.4 cm;               Petals L - 1.1 cm;

Lat/Sepal W - 1.0 cm;       Lat/Sepal L - 1.8 cm;

Lip/Pouch W - 0.4 cm;     Lip/Pouch L - 1.4 cm.

Judges' Comments

Al Messina (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

This delightful, beautifully grown plant should warm the hearts and bring a smile to the faces of all who appreciate excellent culture, particularly of not-so easy-to-grow genera. While the flower color is not that of strikingly intense vexillaria, the form of each (non-crowded) is of awardable quality, perhaps a high HCC/marginal AM. While this plant is too small to receive a CCM now, with continued superlative care, It will be a future show-in CCM----or better.

Ginna Plude (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

The hybrid produces a really pretty flower with nice, clear yellow segments and the contrasting column/lip. It looks to be a fairly young plant, similar to the previous awards, which makes sense since the hybrid is pretty new. Flower count is a tiny bit higher compared to the previous awards but the flowers are slightly smaller, at least in VS.  It is doing what Dendrobiums in the group do and I expect with continued good culture it will produce more and more flowers. However, it is too similar in my mind to the previous awards so I would not be inclined to nominate it for an award.

Jan Takamiya (Associate Judge, Hawaii Judging Center-Oaho)

Dendrobium Jean Minet

The form, color, ns & flower count of this primary hybrid are similar to the HCC & AM AOS awards from 2021 & 2022. The plant appears well grown and bloomed, but I anticipate the potential for a larger specimen before a culture award is considered. No nomination at this time but thank you for sharing this very charming and colorful candidate.

Ed Weber (Accredited Judge, Mid-Atlantic Judging Center)

Flower count exceeds previous awards. Color appears a little less intense than in the awarded clones but this could be a trick of lighting. Flowers also extend farther out from the foliage which I find a positive trait. I am curious as to whether this is actually the clone "Andrew" previously awarded. Good job. I would be inclined to nominate based on the fact that it maintains the best traits of both parent species. 

Ed Weber - Mid-Atlantic Judging Center

Pam Noll (Student Judge, Alamo Judging Center)

Thank you for sending us this very interesting plant to consider. Its form favors the D. pentapterum parent in size and habit. The flower form of the lateral sepals are strongly influenced by the D. vexillarius parent. Description and measurements are comparable with both of the previously awarded plants in size, plant form, and floriferousness. I would like to see close-ups of a couple more of the individual flowers, but their low station within the foliage does not allow them much room to open to fullest potential. The one we can observe best is higher up the display and is quite nice. The flared lateral sepals open up the flower to a pleasing shape.  I think it could be nominated and scored, perhaps reaching the mid-AM range.

As a whole, perhaps a larger pot and another year or two of growth will present a fuller specimen that could likely be considered for a cultural award.

Pamela Noll
Student, Alamo Judging Center

Joe Bryson (Accredited Judge, Florida North-Central Judging Center)

The size of the flower at 2.3/ 2.6 cm is consistent with its parents which are 2.6 cm and 2.3 cm median ave. It is also about the same as the two previous awards to the grex. The number of flowers per infl. is higher than previous awards at ~2.3 flowers per infl. compared to 1.8 and 1.9 fl/infl. It is much better than the D. pentapterum parent at 1.5 fl/infl. and on par with the vexillarious at 2.4 fl/infl. Bilateral symmetry looks good from the photo and form as good or better than previous awards. Color is exceptional with the red/green contrasting with the yellow-orange sepal and petals. Presentation and plant health/cleanliness is very good, although flowers are buried down in the leaves so they are harder to see, however, this is consistent with the habit of the species. I would probably score this in the AM range about 84 points based on the photos and measurements and I would consider a CCM of about 82 points.  

Bob Winkley (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Thank you for providing an absolutely delightful candidate. I love the Dendrobiums that were formerly situated in the Oxyglossum section - I believe they are all now circumscribed in the Pedilonum section.

This primary hybrid is a lovely marriage of its two species as the award record can certainly attest. The plant is very robust and is clearly being cultivated well. The clear orange of the sepals and petals is in lovely contrast to the lip's dark forest green color; the bright red-orange tip of the lip ties it all together. The segments appear to be in somewhat the same plane and the laterals are definitely full. Petals are a bit narrow, but that's not unexpected.

All that said, while it is a well grown plant I do not believe it is a candidate for a cultural award. Den pentapterum has a couple of cultural awards with significantly more flowers; the cultural award to Den. vexillarius is also more floriferous.

I could see scoring this flower for a flower quality award and coming up with a mid-high HCC/low AM - this is one of those flowers where seeing it in person can really be useful in terms of both substance and texture. 

Again - Thanks!

Frank Zachariah (Accredited Judge, Louisiana Judging Center)

Dendrobium Jean Minet (Den. pentapterum x vexillarius) 

I live in south Louisiana so we do not see Dens from Section Calyptrochilus. Of course, that won't stop me from passing 'judgement', but know that I have no first-hand knowledge of either species.

This candidate is slightly better flowered than the previous 2 awarded plants [2.3 vs 1.8 & 1.9]. If nominated, this would raise its score -- but only slighty. But it does not appear to me to be a candidate for a cultural award.  

The flower is slightly smaller. Again -- only slightly. This alone would not be enough to dissuade me from considering scoring it.

The two previously awarded plants received an HCC & an AM. The HCC [‘Andrew’] showed a picture of an individual flower. Only the AM [‘Forest’s Coral Star’] showed the flowers nestled within the foliage.

This plant has some charm, but comparing its picture with that of the AM, it looks like the flowers are displayed less well and more obscured by its foliage.

I don’t think this cross does much to further the aesthetic or horticultural appeal of either parent. Den. Jean Minet already has a cultivar with an AM, which I do not believe this cultivar will attain. I would not nominate it for scoring.  

Deb Bodei (Accredited Judge, Northeast Judging Center)

Dendrobium Jean Minet (Den. pentapterum x Den. vexillarius)

This flower looks very much like 'Andrew' awarded in 2021, except that it is not as cupped as the awarded HCC of 75 pts. It took on some nice attributes from the pentapterum parent with its coloring and the open and more widely set lateral sepals showing on one of the flowers. However, the arrangement of the flowers is crowded and facing towards each other or inward to the plant on most of the inflorescences which impedes the segments from fully unfurling. There seems to be only one flower in a position to see it clearly, without obstruction. I am not getting enough points for a flower aware considering overall, form, color and arrangement.

This plant is well grown but still small considering the potential from both parents to reach a specimen size.  As far as a cultural award goes, it has a way to go but would love to see it again on a future flowering. 

I would not nominate for an award on this flowering but would like to see it again as a larger specimen.

Deb

Deb Boersma (Associate judge, Great Lakes Judging Center)

Dendrobium Jean Minet

This a very nicely grown little Dendrobium with charming flowers. The overall form of the flower is quite symmetrical with upright petals and broad lateral sepals.  It appears to be fairly flat especially compared to the awarded cultivar ‘Andrew’ that looks quite cupped. The lateral sepals have a slight roll on the lower margin but I don’t think that this distracts form the overall form of the flower. What is particularly stunning is the saturated color of the lip and the transitioning of color from light green to darker green and final that vibrant red, the lip really stands out! The orange base color is not as intense as the ‘Forest Coral Star’ awarded clone but is much better than the ‘Andrew’ clone. The size is comparable to the other awarded plants although the vertically natural spread is smaller the flower appears to well balanced. Size is what is expected when looking at the parents, the geometric mean is 2.1 cm NS. Our candidate is slightly more floriferous than the other awarded plants and when compared to the geometric mean of the parents.

In terms of quality, I would nominate this plant for an award and I scored it at an AM of 80 points.

As far as a cultural award I would like to see a little more mature plant with more growths and flowers.

Exhibitor - John Sullivan, NJ (Accredited Judges, Northeast Judging Center)

Grower's Advice