Phalaenopsis Journal Second Quarter 2014 | Page 18

The Blue Phalaenopsis
Ian Chalmers

T

he Transgenic Blue Phalaenopsis had its debut at
the 11th Asia Pacific Orchid Conference in Okinawa. It was again shown at the 2014 Tokyo Dome
show. Like Okinawa the blue Phalaenopsis plants
were displayed in two secure glass cages. One case had
the normal flowers while the other housed peloric flowers. The light in the area was dimmed as if they were great
masters that might fade if exposed to the sun. The walls of
this area again were adorned with the posters (in Japanese
only) describing the various methods that have been employed in an attempt to achieve the blue Phalaenopsis.
In Tokyo, the entrance to the display was an educational presentation displaying many of the Phalaenopsis species, in flower, one of the features of the display
was a large flowering plant of Phalaenopsis gigantea.
When one looked back towards the entrance of the display there was a large flowering plant of Phalaenopsis
Wedding Promenade, this was the original plant that
the meristems were taken from for transgenic mutation.
At the Tokyo Show there were painted Phalaenopsis on
display and sale. The motifs were stenciled onto the flow1. The Phalaenopsis display at the 11th Asia Pacific Orchid Conference in Okinawa.;
2. Inset: Phalaenopsis violacea fma coerulea at the entrance of the blue
Phalaenopsis display.; 3. Phalaenopsis gigantea in entrance to the blue Phalaenopsis
display.; 4. Phalaenopsis Little Venus ‘Erica’ Trophy Award and Silver Medal;
Inside front cover: 5. Phalaenopsis Wedding Promenade.; 6. Professor Mii and
Sandra Tillisch-Svoboda.; and 7. A spectator viewing the blue Phalaenopsis in its
special display case.
Inside back cover: 8. Phalaenopsis amabilis Hsiang Bin CCM AOS.

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Phalaenopsis | Second Quarter | Volume 24 | 2014

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