After our unprecedented heat of this summer in August, for the workshop we had three plants presented, all of them very small, and no awards. For the monthly meeting, again there were no awards given. I was starting to get worried that September would be another washout, but Yeah! We had two awards among the nine plants submitted. One was truly extraordinary because it was the very first award for Lily Chang, and it was a plant she has owned for more than 30 years that she bought from Greg Scott as a seedling, A Phalaenopsis pulcherrima (syn. Doritis p.), it received a CCM, which is awarded to the grower. Congratulations, Lily! The other winner was a Catasetum hybrid that Steve Moffit said would not get awarded because it was stressed by the heat and did not present its best color. But it garnered an AM.

Here they are:

Phalaenopsis pulcherrima ‘Scott’s Splash’ CCM 82, Award #20234133, owned by Lily Chang:

“Twenty-seven flowers and 52 buds on 5 erect, branched inflorescences and two developing inflorescences ranging from 18 to 38 cm long, on 3 of 5 fans up to 20 cm tall, of a 30+-year-old plant grown in bark mix in an 18-cm diameter, 22-cm tall cymbidium pot; sepals elliptical, pale pink; petals spatulate, ruffled, peloric, pale pink, edges veined red-brown; lip midlobe striped lavender, side lobes red-brown; column white, base stippled lavender, anther cap cream-color; substance firm; texture satin.”

Catasetum Jamie Lowson XOXO ‘Rare Earth Orchids’ (C. pileatum ‘Live Oak’ x C. John C. Burchette ‘Ursa Major’ ), AM 80, Award #20234134, owned by Stephen Moffitt:

“Ten slightly cupped flowers, base cream-color, one detached, on one 29.0-cm pendent inflorescence; sepals and petals acuminate, overlaid burgundy; dorsal sepal and petals upright; lateral sepals horizontal, spotted burgundy; lip cordate, overlaid maroon, picotee cream-color, apical third slightly mottled cream-color, throat golden-yellow centrally; column white, overlaid burgundy centrally, triggers straight; anther cap white; substance firm, texture glossy.”