Phalaenopsis Journal Second Quarter 2014 | Page 16

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HP ... continued from page 13
about breeding Phalaenopsis, a journey that proved to be the beginning of
HP’s Phal. violacea connection. A month later he received a package containing
25 Phal. violacea plants and 25 Phal. bellina plants from Michael Ooi in exchange for a flask of
a yellow cross that HP had given him. After flowering the majority of the Phal. violacea plants
in 1982, HP selected the two best clones and started a long line of inbreeding, each time selecting the darkest clones until 1996 when the first blue Phal. violacea was produced. Several more
sibbings were made after that with HP again selecting the best and darkest blue flowers from
his previous crosses. Between 2004 and 2005, HP produced some fabulous blue Phal. violacea
clones and now 100% of his breeding line of blue Phal. violacea produce blue progeny.
This has been a remarkable journey from a man that was told in 1976 that his life could end
at any moment because of his heart condition. For well over 40 years, HP has continued
to amaze everyone with his vision for producing great Phalaenopsis. As it is with all of
the great orchid breeders of the past, HP is just now accomplishing what he had in mind
when he envisioned his breeding program years ago. Perhaps in one or two more generations he will have achieved what he was aft