# Rlc. Toshie Aoki ‘Pizzaz’



## southernbelle (May 15, 2021)

When I saw this at Akatsuka in HI, it was a clear bright yellow with a red throat and a clear red splash. What on earth has caused this coloration? Muddy mess in my view. I’ve tested 2/5/20 and it was negative for virus. I will test again ASAP. Any other ideas?
Growing temp is 82-84 days. 70 nights.


----------



## Paphman910 (May 15, 2021)

Maybe high light caused more pigmentation. It happened to many of my Harlequin Phalaenopsis.


----------



## Ozpaph (May 15, 2021)

May still be virus or another mericlone 'mutation'.


----------



## southernbelle (May 15, 2021)

Paphman910 said:


> Maybe high light caused more pigmentation. It happened to many of my Harlequin Phalaenopsis.


Thanks, I thought of temps, but not light, I’ll experiment with that. And retest for virus tomorrow.


----------



## RandyT (May 15, 2021)

This is Toshie Aoki 'Pizzaz' from the original cloning batch from Starke. It's grown in very high light and the red flaring intensifies with higher the light levels. I've seen it with more red and with much less red, depending on culture and the health of the plant. So 'Pizzaz' can have a tremendous amount of red flaring in the tepals.


----------



## Ozpaph (May 16, 2021)

very interesting. Thanks


----------



## DrLeslieEe (May 16, 2021)

Many of the comments above may be true.

After growing many splash, flamea and pincelada cattleyas for many years (plus observations in nurseries and judging), it has been my experience that their patterns can be affected by several factors:

1. Light - the stronger the light, the more random (not necessarily more) the striations. This is in response to tanning protection, much like leaves. Strong light will often fade the colors faster (UV can wear down flower surface and allow faster anthocyanin destruction). 

2. Temperatures - the cooler the night temperatures, the more color intensity and spread of striations. And vice versa, the hotter the day temperatures, the less color depositions.

3. Photoperiod - longer nights in winter allows more color intensity in the markings. 

4. Additives - such as Kelp that has growth stimulants like auxins can increase color formation in the markings. 

5. Stressors - such as nutrient deficiency or excess, can affect the deposits of anthocyanins in the flower. Virus is another stressor that can induce floral markings but these are usually not mirror images if compared by splitting the flower image in half vertically at lip midline up the dorsal sepal. 

6. Genetics - the genes can be turn on or off by chemicals such as pesticides or fungicides.

In harlequin Phalaenopsis, the genetics of the random spotting is usually not affected by these factors except the night temperatures (cooler nights allow more intense spotting).


----------



## southernbelle (May 16, 2021)

DrLeslieEe said:


> Many of the comments above may be true.
> 
> After growing many splash, flamea and pincelada cattleyas for many years (plus observations in nurseries and judging), it has been my experience that their patterns can be affected by several factors:
> 
> ...


Very helpful!! I use kelp monthly, so, will avoid this plant with it once a new lead is forming. I’ll also double ck the light. I’ve moved it upstairs to enjoy in flower. East window and cooler ambient, but I have it on a seedling mat so we will see how that affects it. All of this depends on a s second negative virus test.


----------



## terryros (May 16, 2021)

Deb, this plant (of which you sent me a division) is almost 60% dowiana. Chadwick’s talk about the marked variation in dowiana coloration from year to year. It obviously must be culture, but figuring out what to change and at what time of the year is really tough. The image posted by RandyT and a few you see with a Google search actually show more coloration than yours. I think you were hoping for a lot more yellow on the petals and less red?


----------



## southernbelle (May 16, 2021)

terryros said:


> Deb, this plant (of which you sent me a division) is almost 60% dowiana. Chadwick’s talk about the marked variation in dowiana coloration from year to year. It obviously must be culture, but figuring out what to change and at what time of the year is really tough. The image posted by RandyT and a few you see with a Google search actually show more coloration than yours. I think you were hoping for a lot more yellow on the petals and less red?


Yes,this photo is a photo of the plant I saw at Akatsuka and hoped to be purchasing, so obviously, mine looks like a muddy mess to me. They did not ship the plant I saw in the display room, but I thought it would be closer Clear yellow with a thin splash of clear red was what I was hoping for. Oh well. That first plant was virused and destroyed. This plant was a second order, again hoping for the best. 
It will be hard to give it less light, as it is at the end of a table with two tubes above it, so unless I put it on my paph table (one tube), I can't give it less light. I will starve it of kelpmax next bloom cycle and see if that matters.
I got another of this clone from Orchid Alley last May, that again, I saw in bloom. It was in his greenhouse in VA, so hopefully, closer growing conditions to mine than a greenhouse in HI. We shall see. It has loads of roots, but has not put out a lead since I got it. 
Did that division survive that I sent you? I know it was small and struggling. It will be interesting to see what it looks like if it blooms for you.


----------



## Ozpaph (May 16, 2021)

thanks for the info, Leslie.
The photo above is like all the ones ive ever seen.


----------



## southernbelle (May 16, 2021)

Ozpaph said:


> thanks for the info, Leslie.
> The photo above is like all the ones ive ever seen.


Which photo? The first two of this thread, the one posted by Randy T or the last one I posted here?


----------



## terryros (May 17, 2021)

southernbelle said:


> View attachment 27746
> 
> Yes,this photo is a photo of the plant I saw at Akatsuka and hoped to be purchasing, so obviously, mine looks like a muddy mess to me. They did not ship the plant I saw in the display room, but I thought it would be closer Clear yellow with a thin splash of clear red was what I was hoping for. Oh well. That first plant was virused and destroyed. This plant was a second order, again hoping for the best.
> It will be hard to give it less light, as it is at the end of a table with two tubes above it, so unless I put it on my paph table (one tube), I can't give it less light. I will starve it of kelpmax next bloom cycle and see if that matters.
> ...


The plant has recovered well and making a new lead. Since we know we have the exact same plant, let's hope I can bloom it and we will see if any differences in my conditions affect the coloration.


----------



## southernbelle (May 17, 2021)

terryros said:


> The plant has recovered well and making a new lead. Since we know we have the exact same plant, let's hope I can bloom it and we will see if any differences in my conditions affect the coloration.


Great experiment and comparison. I’ve moved my blooming plant up to my breakfast room, eastern exposure, cooler day temps, so I’ll see how that affects the flowers, if at all. The plant has another lead. If it spikes while upstairs that will be a good comparison, too.


----------



## Ozpaph (May 17, 2021)

Ozpaph said:


> thanks for the info, Leslie.
> The photo above is like all the ones ive ever seen.


directly above. post #10


----------



## terryros (May 18, 2021)

Deb, I think I know your growing conditions well and I don't think light quality/intensity or nutrition can be much of a factor since they are right in the middle of all recommendations. Day and night temperatures could be an issue at particular times of the growth cycle, but your room is what it is and you can't really change it much. I think another issue is the genetics that Leslie mentioned, but beyond gene activation/inactivation from chemicals, I don't think your plant is a division of the one that you saw but either a mericlone from it OR your plant is a mericlone from the same batch as the Akutsuka one. That means that your plant can be subtly different genetically and this could easily explain the variation. With all of your care and viral testing, I would be shocked if this was virus infected. I think you will grow this one more cycle and if the blooms are the same you will just throw it since the flower is not attractive to you. My guess is that out of the original bunch of Toshie Aoki seedlings that grew up and bloomed in 1980 there were many that were not particularly attractive. That left only a few attractive cultivars to become more famous and to proliferate. I don't think this is your fault, it was just bad luck with the gene shuffle.


----------



## southernbelle (May 18, 2021)

Ozpaph said:


> directly above. post #10


Thats the one I hope for each time I get a bloom. I think that one is striking.


----------

