Until the early 1980s, Phal amboinensis, P. lueddemanniana and P. violacea formed the cornerstones of red breeding. (It was at this time that P. venosa, then called P. psilantha, was discovered.) There are only 3 possible combinations to mix these three species, using each only once.

P. Malibu Heir – P. Ambomanniana x P. violacea, registered by Freed in 1977.

P. Malibu Imp – P. amboinensis x P. Luedde-violacea, registered by Freed in 1977.

P. Coral Isles – P. Princess Kaiulani x P. lueddemanniana, registered by Thornton in 1967.

Of the three hybrids discussed here, only P. Coral Isles has a real history.

In 1973, the clone ‘York’ received an AM of 83 points. It was described as a "well-grown plant with 3 flowers and 8 buds; sepals and petals have clear chartreuse background heavily barred with mahogany; lip rose, of violacea depth". The first P. Coral Isles hybrid was registered in 1974 and, at about that same time, the awarded clone was made available from Hausermann’s for a very reasonable price. Because of this, many people were able to get this plant and begin breeding with it. Since 1974 to date, there have been 1^st generation hybrids registered in every year but one and 2^nd generation hybrids registered in every year but one since 1982. (Recently, the ‘Yung Ho’ clone of P. Coral Isles has become available from Taiwan and, undoubtedly, will soon receive an AOS award. The colour is a clear solid fuchsia red and it breeds. A recent remake of P. Auspice Green Lake using this clone produced solid and near-solid reds.)

It is not surprising to find that Hausermann’s has been responsible for many of the P. Coral Isles hybrids. P. Aileen Stoops (x P. lueddemanniana) and P. Peter Stromsland (x P. mariae) were early hybrids. Hausermann’s crossed both P. Coral Isles and P. Aileen Stoops to P. Corning’s Violet to produce P. Cherokee Chief and P. Fancy Free. Both of these plants are well known to breeders of reds. In addition, breeding P. Peter Stromsland to a large white, P. Kenneth Benjamin, produced P. Seminole. Both P. Seminole and its offspring P. Hausermann’s Adam (x P. Yellow Marquis) are being used by Hausermann’s in yellow breeding.

But what may turn out to be the most important hybrid of P. Coral Isles was made in the year 1992. In 1992, P. Coral Isles was crossed to P. venosa and the hybrid P. Coral Nosa was the result. This hybrid was created in Taiwan and few if any clones or resulting hybrids have made their way to North America. However, P. Coral Nosa has been a workhorse in producing incredible, colorful offspring. There are less than 10 registered 1^st generation offspring to date, all but one of which were made in Taiwan and that elusive one is registered as originator unknown.

We have seen the offspring of P. Black Eagle (Coral Nosa x George Vasquez) and P. Black Beauty (Coral Nosa x gigantea) in the Awards Quarterly. P. Black Eagle has produced P. Perfection Is (x P. Golden Peoker) with 4 awarded clones and P. Black Lion (x P. Paifang’s Golden Lion) with 3 awarded clones. P. Black Beauty has produced P. Yew Beauty (x P. Brother Yew) with 2 awarded clones and P. Black Peoker (x P. Golden Peoker) with 3 awarded clones. The one common denominator to all of these plants is COLOUR! In addition to these, I have seen a couple of plants of P. Chiayi Golden Moon (Coral Nosa x Maritea) in Taiwan and, although there are no registered hybrids with this grex, they should be exciting if and when they become available.

What can you say about a plant that is the parent of less than 25 first-generation offspring and yet has produced 2 FCC-winning progeny? There is only one awarded clone of P. Malibu Heir: ‘Blue Ridge’, HCC – 79 pts; awarded July 5, 1989. Nine flowers and 12 buds well spaced on 2 upright inflorescences, sepals and petals yellow-green, irregularly flushed and overlaid with violacea-like fuchsia markings; lip and column deep fuchsia on white base; substance heavy; texture shiny. Natural spread 5.5 cm.

Of the 22 first-generation offspring, John Ewing is credited as the hybridizer of 12 of the hybrids and 2 are listed as "originator unknown". (For those new to orchids, John Ewing was a hybridizer of novelty phalaenopsis active in the ’70s and ’80s. Many of the hybrids that he made were milestones of their day and several are still being used today.)

One Ewing hybrid, P. Arthur Zeller (Siren’s Song x Malibu Heir) was bred to P. venosa in 1992 by Ken Griffith to produce P. Carolina Red Zeller. Another Ewing hybrid, P. Heart’s Desire (mariae x Malibu Heir) was bred to P. Malibu Imp in 1993 by Mark Rose to produce P. Brecko Impheart.

The most famous hybrid of P. Malibu Heir is P. Mahalo (x P. Penang). With 10 awards to its credit (5 to the clone ‘Carmela Orchids’, 2 of which are CCMs) and 46 1^st-generation progeny, it is surprising to see that very few of its offspring are well known. Its best-known hybrids are P. Ember (x P. George Vasquez) and P. Red Thrill (x P. Golden Buddha), both of which combined have less than 10 registered hybrids.

The other FCC-winning offspring of P. Malibu Heir, P. Strawberry Sundae (x P. Sarah Rose) has no registered progeny.

Malibu Imp

There are 15 awards to different clones of P. Malibu Imp, 2 of which ‘Anna Mae’, AM/AOS and ‘Evergreen Hill’, AM/AOS have received wide distribution. Because of its fertility and wide distribution and possibly its most famous hybrid, P. Malibu Imp is well on its way to overtaking P. Coral Isles, at least as far as number of progeny despite a much later start.

The most famous hybrid of P. Malibu Imp is P. Orchid World (x P. Deventeriana). It is also the most awarded Phalaenopsis hybrid with about 100 AOS awards. However, after a somewhat less than illustrious breeding career many people believe that P. Orchid World may be a triploid. Its progeny, what little there have been, have been disappointing, to say the least.

Some of the other 1^st-generation P. Malibu Imp hybrids of note are P. Imp’s Sparks (x P. Buena Cerise Sparks), P. Imp’s Pride (x P. Golden Pride), P. Brecko Impheart (x P. Heart’s Desire), P. Gottabe Red (x P. Imp’s Pride), P. Red Hot Imp (x P. Red Hot Chili), P. Paifang’s Queen Malibu (x P. Paifang’s Queen), P. Franz Liszt (x P. Spirit House), P. Yuda Blood Red (x P. lueddemanniana), P. Zuma Garnet (x P. George Vasquez), P. Venimp (x P. venosa) and P. Dark Star (x P. Zauberrose).

Two P. Dark Star hybrids, P. Red Dream (x P. Tabasco Tex) and P. Brother Treasure (x P. Penang Queen), are beginning to show their value in producing high-quality progeny.

Lastly, P. Cordova (Zuma Garnet x Golden Buddha) may be the most important as well as the most prolific offspring of P. Malibu Imp. The ‘Leucadia’ clone which has an HCC may not have the best form nor the best colour. However, its incredible fertility and wide distribution may make it the clone to use for future breeding.

It is interesting (and curious) to see that these 3 species which are so important in producing reds individually do not appear to be "all-important" when in combination with each other. It is possible that the addition of P. venosa to the mix may be the impetus necessary to see great advances in red breeding. Be patient. Who knows what tomorrow may bring.