Beautiful leaves of variegated Phalaenopsis and Viruses!

[smartie2000]

I thought I would share with everyone some information. I have been trying to collect variegated orchids myself however:

I recently tested my variegated phal with an Agdia test strip and it tested positive for Cym Mosiac and Odontoglossum Ring Spot virus. I soon let my vendor (who will remain unnamed) know only to discuss the issue and he shared with me some info.

He said that he had a visit earlier this year from a Taiwan grower, and he mentioned that all variegated phals have been artificially induced by introducing viruses into the cloning process. He really didn't believe the Taiwan grower, and suspected that something was lost in the translation, so he didn't give it much more thought.

I also found this link when I did a google search on variegated phalaenopsis. Someone else had a virused variegated phal: Phalaenopsis aphrodite var. formosana 'variegata' on Flickr - Photo Sharing! and with this statement: "It's a shame non-virused variegated Phalaenopsis are such a challenge to acquire"

I have also tested a variegated dendrobium kingianum and cymbidium ensifolium and both tested negative, so definitely is there is nothing wrong with my test kits nor are all variegated plants virused.

Based on this info provided from the Taiwan grower, I suspect that it is most variegated phals that are virused. I wonder if this is really true. I hope that those with variegated phals will test their plants too and share with us their results. If most phals are virused we certainly don't need them in our collections!

It is such as shame that I had to toss this plant in the garbage and the pot is so nice I cleaned it but I am hesitant to use it again:


Personally I understand why someone might want to create an variegated phal. They can be valuable and are collectable. I've even read that we can make bromeliads variegated with viruses.

BTW please don't blame your vendors if you find your plant virused. They obviously would not of imported them if they knew better.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Wow, that is terrible. It was such a beautiful plant. The photo of the orchid at the link is stunning too. I want to know more about this...

Cheers,
BD

[orchid-man]

From what i have read and been told by a number of growers is that there is a very chance that cloned phallies are infected due to the processes use in the early days of thr cloning of the phalie.For this reason they no longer propagate from the nodes on the flower stem

[clintdawley]

Fren,

I would have kept the phal and just isolated it from your others plants--that couldn't have been too hard to do. The leaves are pretty and the bloom is nice--no outward evidence of virus.

[sadie]

Wow! That is a bit disturbing. What a mess that could create for someone who didn't know to test their plants! And then the vendors who don't know their plants have been deliberately infected to get the effect. Boy--all kinds of problems could arise there.

[smartie2000]

Fren,

I would have kept the phal and just isolated it from your others plants--that couldn't have been too hard to do. The leaves are pretty and the bloom is nice--no outward evidence of virus.

I agree, we can enjoy these plants in a separate windowsill or something .

I chucked it because after blooming on mine the plant got really ugly and spotted on all leaves and it takes a long to time get new leaves to grow again. That is when I really thought something was wrong and tested it.

[Becky15349]

I think I learned somewhere that the virus actually causes the variegation? I don't think it has any negative impact on the health of the plant though...but that could just be a rumor.

[deepoe]

Ooh! I need a varigated orchid I didn't know they made those.

[Yug]

...
BTW please don't blame your vendors if you find your plant virused. They obviously would not of imported them if they knew better.

Don't be so sure. It depends on your vendor. Some growers in Taiwan have purchased mericlones of some outstanding plants to take back and propagate. Then a few years later, plants exactly like the mericlones start to show up on the market, but with different names. Coincidence? I doubt it. I suspect that they just want to make $$ off of someone else's work. Anyone with so little integrity would not give a darn if they sold a virused plant.

[deepoe]

Yeah, I read about the viruses after I wrote that. They sure are different though. I guess I should read first and THEN post.