| Being cloned has nothing to do whatever with how well a plant will or will not take. Overcloned orchids are unwise to use as parents, due to the risk of mutation, but apart from such cases, a clone is just that, an exact genetic copy. People who breed on a commercial scale invest in stud plants to avoid risk of mutation, but I really don't think someone dabbling in small-scale bredding really need worry.
As for the proposed cross, I'd research to see if the cross has already been made. Look into similar crosses (complex standard catts crossed with aurantiaca), and see if you like the results of such things, if there are pics to be found. Sometimes, you will find a breeding direction that has no or very little work. THis could be because the genetics of such crosses make them difficult in setting pods or the seedling could be weak. ALso, the chromoseomes might not match up. Sometimes, however, the direction you are interested in going just hasn't been explored. I'm laying plans for starting some breeding in Sophrocattleyas that hasn't been very much explored. I have a notion to breed large-flowered labiate cattleyas with sophronitis species OTHER than S. coccinea, especially S. wittigiana, looking for pink and lavendar Sophrocattleyas.
Of course, when working with Cattleyas, you are looking at a minimum 4 year time from seed to bloom, and that is providing them perfect grenhouse conditions. Also, when breeding as a hobbyist, consider the size of the plants you are breeding. I will only be keeping 30 or less plants from any cross I make, because I don't have the greenhouse and wardian case space to grow out hundreds of big bruiser cattleyas, or even tiny Masdevallias, for that matter. I'll grow on thirty or so plants, bloom them out (if they are tiny, larger things, I may sell off 15 plants or so) then keep only the best (or my favourite) 2 or 3 plants.
-Cj  |