Sc. June Bug, the orchid, is proof that big surprises are hidden in small packages.
Our Sc. June Bug 'Venice Sunshine', AM/AOS has been one of our most popular orchids for windowsill growers or others with limited space. However, it has not always been so easy with this orchid. There is a story!
Sc. June Bug was originally grown at Carter and Holmes Orchids in Newberry, South Carlina and registered by them in 1987. The parents are C. bicolor and Sc. Beaufort. Two plants from this first group were awarded.
The cross was remade by Gene Crocker at Carter and Holmes using "improved" tetraploid parents. Using C. bicolor 'Beta' 4n with the Sc. Beaufort 'UT-5', HCC/AOS 4n produced new tetraploid (2x as many moving parts) plants.
Tetraploids are slow (emphasis on slow!) growing and always the last of the group (by maybe a couple of years) to bloom because they have to do everything twice. Breeding orchids requires patience and space and lots of both!
So it was with our group of 100 or so Sc. June Bugs that we purchased from Carter and Holmes. The little plants grew and grew and grew over the years into big (but compact) plants. Many were established in 8 inch wooden baskets before we ever saw a single flower. Remember the patience and space comment?
The lucky part of this story is that on one of our last large baskets bloomed for our local Venice orchid show. Even in Florida, February is a lousy month, so the bright yellow globes with their cherry red lips were a hit with our AOS judges. Now we have Sc. June Bug 'Venice Sunshine', AM/AOS.
As is our policy, we always give a division of our awarded plant back to the original breeder. Having two or more divisions in separate places protects the orchid. Our awarded plant went to Gene Crocker at Carter and Holmes and was mericloned there. (Gene, by the way is the originator of the term "mericlone."
The mericlones of the tetraploid 'Venice Sunshine' behaved very well. These plants have been exceptionally strong growers - as expected. The biggest and best surprise to us is that they started blooming in 3 inch pots! Our Mother plant did not bloom until she was well-established in an 8 inch basket!
Remember "Dolly, the Sheep" who was cloned? She did not go through the early years of development. Those years were build in and Dolly, the newly developed clone, was born old.
So it was with the mericlones of Sc. June Bug '
Venice Sunshine', AM/AOS. The mericlones were mature and blooming in 3 inch pots. These plants are really better growers and bloomers than the original!
We prefer to grow these orchids in basket-type containers because the presentation of the flowers is better. Pots work fine, too, because the stems hold the flowers well. Baskets are just my personal preference.
'Venice Sunshine' is so far the only one awarded from the remake using the 4n parents. We truly love the bright yellow flowers with the dominant cherry red lips. The plants are so compact and bloom several times per year. They are orchids that define "windowsill" growing.
The photo is of Sc. June Bug 'Venice Sunshine', AM/AOS. You can find this orchid for sale in our online catalog.
