After I got over the first 1/2 year of buying Phaelanopsis form HD and Trader Joes, I branched out into other orchids. One of the first one that I remember came from Norman. I saw a bench full of Oncidium types, one of which had bloomed. I wanted to buy that one but Norman refused as it was the first one of a new cross he was developing but he sold me one of the unbloomed ones.

He also observed that I was lucky to get this plant. Being new to orchids and new to orchid politics I asked him to explain. He only had a limited number of these and he was not going to list it on his web page as he knew that his steady customers would want to purchase these plants once they saw the bloom. What ever, I thought, not fully understanding what he was saying but I took the plant home and eventually it produced spectacular blooms.

Long, multiple sprays like Onc sphacellatum with flowers that were larger and redder from the Oda 'Pacifica' heritage. I received many compliments for this plant, It was the center attraction for one of our annual installation dinners with 8 huge sprays. By now it was a huge plant and by now it had gotten a virus.

I was thunder struck how could this happen to one of my favorite plants? Since it was such a gorgeous plant I looked for advice from one of our senior members, 'What should I do with this beautiful specimen?' I asked. 'Since it is an exceptional beautiful plant', he said 'find and exceptional beautiful garbage can and toss it.'

Great, I knew that was the correct answer and the plant got tossed with great heartache. Long before then I had adopted the practice of making divisions as soon as possible of all of my plants in case one of them went south. I had done that with this plant and after the heartache, the offspring became the new #1 and was promptly divided in case something should happen to it.

It is now in this 10" baskets, has 7 spikes and will put on quite a show in another 2 to 3 weeks. None of this would be possible if I had not made that safety division. I have never seen this cross again, never have seen it offered for sale and do believe it is one of the great sphacellatum hybrids.

I think everyone with a large collection should consider making that a rock solid policy. Divide any worthwhile plant (which is all of them as if they are not worth wile, they get the boot) as soon as possible, not for trade, but for backup in case something should happen to the #1 plant.

Nick