This is my one and only harlequin and you can see the two blooms are not identical but close. It was either a clone or a stem prop from the original plant. This is Phal. Liolin Wild Cat.

{{gwi:184982}}

Years ago I also had Yu Pin 'Pearl' which was a white with purple-ish spots and no two spot patterns were exactly the same. I don't remember when it bloomed but I never got a solid white bloom.

I know this doesn't help but it is my limited experience with the harlequins. Hopefully the next bloom is more of what you want.

Brooke

I think you can expect then to vary a bit given that anthocyanin (reds/purples) expression/saturation can be temperature dependent (think Beallara Marfitch 'Howard's Dream'). Color variation will mostly come down to culture.

Thanks, you two. I just haven't run across this info about harlequins until now.

Brooke, I'm fine w/ variations from flower to flower if that's a known characteristic - similar to your Liolin Wild Cat.

Terp, unfortunately, I didn't know about 'Howard's Dream,' or maybe I wouldn't have gotten this Phal... except, the photo of the flowers on the grower's site almost took my breath away, and I'm willing to wait a few years to see if that lusciousness ever graces the orchid room.

After researching effects of temps on anthocyanin and talking with a local old timer, I cut the spike off in hopes the Phal will spike again in the fall. Once temps go lower in late summer, I'll put it outside at night. Maybe the cooler temps will help.

Thanks again, WC8

They may. Bllra Marfitch 'Howard's dream' is well know to have strong variability in its color. When grown cooler it keeps the well known purple that everyone loves. But when grown warmer it tends to come out more red. It's actually a neat effect that makes owning the plant really fun :)

Good luck with your lovely!

Whitecat, I know you didn't get what you wanted, but the one you did get is a real beauty. You are going to have to learn to love it for itself.

(my sympathy for the disappointment)

Terp, Google images for Bllra Marfitch 'Howard's Dream' were so all over the place, I would have thought at least half were mislabeled, if you hadn't educated me.

Oregon, can you clarify your zone of '5 OR Sunset 1A'? Sounds interesting. The USDA site indicates OR has a zone 5b, as well as 6a, 6b, and on up to 9b. That's wild.

Thanks for the sympathy. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and to me, those flowers were plug-ugly. Also, the way I see it, no one *has* to learn to love a particular orchid, especially when it's not being 'itself.'

WC8

Here is a link that might be useful: USDA Zones, Oregon State

As far as I know the only type of orchid here where the orchid Judges allow for variability between flowers on the one raceme are Harlequin Phals.

Blc. Marfitch 'Howard's Dream' might be all over the place because it has been widely mericloned and you might be purchasing a mericlone that is a mericlone of a mericlone etc. rather than mericlone from the mother plant.

Many google images have incorrect names.

Arthur, Marfitch is definitely more temps then mericloning. The variability I've experienced in my own plants from one flowering to the next I can directly attribute to temperature variability. A testament ive heard from other growers/breeders as well.

My Guy is no help. I cut off the offending spike with its 3 flowers and put it in the compost container in the kitchen, along with coffee grounds, banana skins, etc.

The Guy pulled it out, put it in a glass of water, and put it in a kitchen window.

The next night, when I was in the kitchen and swore at one of the dogs for some infraction or other, My Guy was indignant: I was swearing in front of Herman.

That's when I learned he'd named the spike Herman and had become "his" protector.

I love that he pays attention to me and figures out how to tease me lovingly... but "Herman"???

WC8

Whoa! This was so informational... I think I just learned I have a harlequin, but can anyone confirm? Lighting isn't great but the markings are clear enough in the photo to see that the pattern on each flower isn't quite the same,