How dare you!

Just kidding

Temperature will affect the color of flowers. I can’t remember if warm is darker or cold is darker. Sometimes it’s more red or purple depending on temperature.

There is also the possibility that the photo makes them appear brighter. Most of the time I think they are more vivid in person than in pictures.

What were the temps like when the plant was in bud?

Show us a pic of yours and a link to the website's pic. Farcecrook is full of vendors who will chastise any who dare to critique one of their own.

tj

There is the possibility that you have a seedling (same orchid name, but raised from seed).

Does the plant have a tag?

Yes, it has a name. It’s called Mivac Sweetissimo ‘Paris’.

Here is the picture from the website

Here is the one I received

I found this old thread. It may apply to your situation.

Link to past discussion

re Harlequin type Phalaenopsis.

I've written in the past how orchid judges are told not to expect the spots and blotches of colour not to be identical from bloom to bloom, but on mericlones the colour should be close.

Hard to say, looking at your photo, not enough detail on the bloom and the angle of the photo with bright light in the background doesn't help.

Julie,

I would guess it is a seed grown plant. My understanding is that mericlones/meristems should look very much like their parent, whereas seed grown plants can have some pretty dramatic differences as far as bloom color. I have two first time bloom violacea crossed plants grown from a compot that are dramatically different as far as bloom color and pattern, these are seed grown plants not meristems. I have to admit, I like the vendor's picture's color but like your spotting pattern better.

Arthur,

I need educated... What does the 'Paris' indicate? Similar patents or just a variation of the same parents? If it is a meristem, would all the siblings be 'Paris' also? In my situation above where seed grown siblings are so different, I would assume they could all be named differently as far as the 'Paris'?

Good luck and thanks in advance,

Bob

I took a better picture of the plant. Here is another comparison. The pattern looks the same. But the color intensity is very different. I bought the plant not for its pattern but for the color. I have other prettier pattern phals at home. It’s a really disappointment.

Bob, the little bit in quotes is the clone name. There is no register of those names and it is optional whether you give a seedling (raised from seed) a clone name or not.

For example, at an orchid society meeting here some 40 Paphiopedilum spicerianum seedlings were handed for an orchid growing competition. Each plant had a number added to the plant tag '#1', '#2', '#3' ......and so on up to '#40' so we could tell them apart. AND, of course each one when it flowers will be slightly different from the others. The clones names can be changed to anything the owner desires once the comp. is over.

Some clone names are informally reserved, such as 'Carmela', 'Burana'. 'Southern Cross' etc. used by orchid nurseries and should not used by us amateurs.

If you are lucky enough to have a plant awarded, the awarding body will insist that the plant has a clone name. That is so the awarding body can tell which orchid species or hybrids have been awarded. Some can have multiple awards. One much awarded orchid is Paphiopedulim Saint Swithin.

Clone names are carried forward on divisions and mericlones.

Getting back to Julie's question, I wonder whether the plant arrived with a name tag in the pot and if so, what was written on it.

.

Based on my knowledge of growing African Violets the cooler place is better and the blooms are more bright. I guess it applies for all blooming plants. I keep my orchids downstairs because it's cooler there.

Very interesting thread. I had no idea that temperature could affect the color intensity. I’m sorry you are disappointed. For what it’s worth, I think your new phal is quite lovely. :)

Arthur,

Here is the tag in the pot.