[kmarch]

Originally Posted by PhalPal

Kevin if I have no intention of ever showing an orchid, does it make a difference if it is a clone??

Mmmm, good question. Before I get to your answer, let me explain some things that will make the answer more clear. In most US orchid shows there are 2 kinds of orchid judging, what some call "ribbon judging" or "show judging" and then AOS judging. "Ribbon judging" at shows is a little like judging a dog show. There are different classes in which plants are awarded first, second, and third place ribbons. Related classes are grouped together and from among all the first place sinners in that group a trophy winner is chosen (Best Cattleya or Best Slipper Orchid Trophy for example). Finally the Best in Show winner is chosen form all of the trophy winners. With ribbon judging, flower quality is only one of several things considered. The health of the plant, how well it is flowered and displayed, and other things are considered in addition to flower quality. In this kind of judging clones are permitted and are often entered.

It is in AOS judging that clones are disqualified. AOS judging is the kind of judging that is usually discussed on the forum here.

So now more specifically to your question: you can show clones, but they probably won't win an AOS award although they very well could receive a first, second, or third place ribbon or even a trophy. And finally, regardless of whether you're into showing or not, either way, clones are perfectly fine to have in your collection. In fact some folks prefer them because with a clone it is easier to know what you going to get if you're buying plants that are not yet blooming size. Clones are usually made from an awarded plant and so presents an opportunity to have in your collection a plant that is perhaps a little "better."

Originally Posted by PhalPal

Is their a difference in the health and hardiness of a plant if it is a copy versus a species??

Remember that a species is an orchid that is found in wild, unhybridized with other species, so if I understand you correctly I think you're asking if there is a difference in the health and hardiness if a plant is a clone versus seed grown. Clones are made from both species and hybrids.

Because clones are often made from superior, awarded plants, they are frequently healthy, hardy plants. The purpose of cloning plants is to sell hundreds or even thousands of them to a wider market. For these commercial reasons it is desirable then to clone plants that are bigger, healthier, and more vigorous with lots of nice flowers.

It should not always be assumed that clone = healthier plant though. Sometimes a cloned plant is re-cloned. When you start cloning clones genetic drift occurs and sometimes you get deformities that range from plants that grow but won't bloom to plants that are weak and horribly deformed.

Originally Posted by PhalPal

I'm asking because with a house full of pets, by far the healthiest are my mixed breeds. Line breeding of the purebreds certainly magnifies any genetic problems present in the line.

Were getting away from the subject of cloning here but I'll continue anyway.

We call "mixed breed" orchids "hybrids." You'll often hear orchid growers/hobbiests/breeders talk about "hybrid vigor." Sometimes people will say things like, "hybrids are easier to grow than species." What is actually happening is that we're creating plants that are tolerant of a wider range of conditions thereby maximizing the likelihood that a plant will grow and bloom well in the conditions a hobbiest has to offer. Mini-catts are a good example. Cool growing Sophronites are crossed with other intermediate growing species or hybrids. Because one parent is cool growing and another parent is intermediate growing the offspring are therefore usually tolerant of a much wider range of temperatures than either of the parents.

The bottom line is that any orchid will grow vigorously in ideal conditions and if the range of ideal conditions is very large, as is the case with a lot of hybrids, then those plants are more likely to grow more vigorously in the varried conditions found in hobbiests growing spaces.

Line breeding of orchid species doesn't necessarily magnify genetic problems. The goal of line breeding in fact is just the opposite. The goal of line breeding is to improve the quality of a species (both the flower quality and the vigor) which then can be used to create improved hybrids. This is an instance where pets and orchids differ.

Originally Posted by PhalPal

I guess I am really asking two questions: Are mixed breed orchids more hardy?

Hardiness is only partly genetic. It also depends heavily on growing conditions and our culture. Also are you talking clones or seed grown hybrids? If seed grown, and if I limit myself to genetic makeup, then the offspring can vary widely in their vigor. I had 2 plants of Blc. Burgundy Delight, seed grown from the same pod. One was small and weak, growing slowly and producing only a few small (although beautiful) flowers. The other plant grew fast and large producing 5-7 flowers on each inflorescence. So within a pod of seeds some plants (just like some animals or people) can turn out big and strong while others are slight.

Now to this add what I said above, about how hybrids are generally tolerant of a wider range of conditions. Given ideal conditions, any orchid can grow well. If an orchid can grow well in a wide range of conditions, this allows for more hobbiests to be able to grow somethign in the conditions they already have.

Originally Posted by PhalPal

AND Is a clone less hardy then the original parent??

In my opinion, no. They are just as hardy as the parent.