new pigment system introduced from another parent orchid could completely alter the results of the cross . The only way to know how any new parent would interact with the coerulea pigment system was to make a test cross . I did realize that if you knew the previous breeding history of the new parent well enough , there were some subtle indicators that could be used to help predict the results . But the coerulea pigment system , it turns out , is so unstable , that even very slight differences can result in drastically different results . The big surprises that may ultimately be even more important started happening in early 2011 when the next batch of my coerulea hybrids started blooming out . A Penang Jewel remake I made using an alba Penang Violacea × indigo Phal . violacea resulted in some lovely light coeruleas with a pearlescent shimmer . I had been hopeful this approach might work , but also considered it a long shot . Sapphire ’ s Tetralitz also bloomed out this year , so far with one coerulea and several magentas . Both of these crosses point to a new potential direction for creating novelty coerulea hybrids . But it was a major breakthrough that was completely unintended that may very well have the greatest impact to our understanding of the genetics behind coerulea pigment inheritance . I had a very good modern Phal . amboinensis with a deep yellow background that that I had paired with an indigo Phal . violacea with the intent of producing some very deep red Princess Kaiulanis . Since I ’ ve been doing tetraploid conversions , I wanted to go ahead take the opportunity to do that with this cross since there are not very many tetraploid novelty reds available . The cross accomplished that goal and has produced some completely solid cherry red flowers . The red tetraploids from the colchicine treated batch surpassed my expectations by a long shot . But just imagine the complete shock I was in when I realized one of them looked like it was going to bloom out coerulea . On March 12 , 2011 the first indigo Princess Kaiulani began to open . How was this even possible ? At the time , it just did not make any sense based on our understanding of the genetics in this type of hybrid . Since then , 50 % of these seedlings have bloomed out coerulea in addition to the amazing reds . These new indigo Princess Kaiulanis should allow for the creation of some unique coerulea crosses that before we did not think were possible . Some of these have bloomed out a very deep grape , almost black color that may bring about some really unique color forms in the future . This unique color is the result of the coerulea pigments overlaid on the yellow from the amboinensis . But , more importantly , it ’ s the fact that it was even possible from a genetic standpoint that forever changed the way I thought about coerulea Phal . genetics . After some careful
26 analysis , it was apparent how this had happened and that clue paired with the other data that has been gathered over these last ten years may turn out to be the key to finally decoding coerulea inheritance . There have been other incremental successes along the way this last decade . But the critical progress that will have the most impact on the future of my breeding program is that I have finished most of the work converting my diploid breeding stock to tetraploids . I have tetraploids of the coerulea forms of Phal . equestris , Dor . pulcherrima , Phal . violacea , Equalacea , Princess Kaiulani , and Peter Blue Sky that I ’ m already using in my breeding program . The next challenge will be finding the right combinations of these tetraploid coeruleas with other large standard phals that will allow the coerulea color to come through and not result in magenta progeny . The first generation of potential coerula tetraploid hybrids are already growing in my lab . I ’ m certainly not the only hybridizer extensively working on coerulea Phals and there have definitely been some advancements made by others in this field . Several hybridizers in Southeast Asia have made some great progress with coerulea Dor . pulcherrima lines of breeding . Now that the indigo violaceas are fully available worldwide , we are starting to see more and more crosses made with those lines as well . I expect that many of the mistakes that I made will be repeated , but I also expect some new surprises will continue to surface as the volume of these types of crosses increases . So , I think we can all look forward to many new and exciting coerulea hybrids from many different sources in the years to come . Now a full decade into my own coerulea Phalaenopsis hybridizing project , the stage is set for some really great advancements . I ’ ve accomplished my early goals of getting the foundations in place so that I can make the crosses that I believe will help take coerulea phals up to the next level . As I have hinted at through this article , I have emerged from these last ten years with a much better understanding of how the inheritance of the coerulea pigments are really working in Phalaenopsis . There is still a great deal to be answered and I realize that many of you were probably hoping I would leave the silver bullet of successful coerulea hybridizing in this article . Because of the complexity and volume of learnings to date , that information will have to wait for another day . But before I leave you dreaming about “ blue ” Phalaenopsis , I have one last bit of business to address … Will there ever be a truly blue Phalaenopsis ? For the most part , I ’ ve stopped referring to the coerulea form as blue after having had both orchid growers and general plant enthusiasts point out over and over that my “ blue ” orchid is purple . Every once in a while I still slip and call a coerulea
First Quarter , Vol . 21 ( 3 ) 2012 - Phalaenopsis