NZOS Awards for 2026 Year

Orchid Name: Paphiopedilum Butch Booth 'Richard Thomas Legg'
Parentage: Paphiopedilum rothschildianum X Paphiopedilum Linda Booth
Award Achieved: Highly Commended Certificate (HCC)
Award Number: 01-2026
Grown By: Richard Legg

Orchid Description: The plant was presented with 2 spikes carrying a total of 7 blooms, with an overall bloom width of 190 mm. The plant was well grown, with clean foliage.

The sepals are pale creamy white with a soft pale green overlay and dark brown stripes. The petals are light green with mid-brown spots and stripes. The labellum is creamy lemon with a pale maroon overlay towards the tip and deeper maroon striping. Some blooms showed damage, which limited the award level.

Orchid Name: Aerides odorata 'Aurora'
Parentage: Species
Award Achieved: Award of Merit & Cultural Certificate (AM & CC)
Award Number: 02 & 03-2026
Grown By: Wen Teo & Sue Chau

Orchid Description: The plant was presented with 3 spikes carrying a total of 145 blooms and 31 flower buds, with an overall bloom width of 25.5 mm.

The sepals are pale pink with a slightly deeper pink flush towards the tips. The petals are also pale pink with a matching deeper pink flush towards the tips. The three-lobed labellum is pale pink, with a darker pink mid-lobe and a greenish-yellow spur apex enclosing the column.

The flowers display good form, with a firm, waxy texture and a flat presentation with no gaps between the segments. The blooms are arranged cylindrically around the raceme and are fragrant. One leaf showed minor travel damage.

Orchid Name: Calanthe vestita
Parentage: Species
Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)
Award Number: 04-2026
Grown By: Geoffrey Marshall

Orchid Description: The plant was presented with 3 spikes carrying 40 open blooms and 15 buds. It was a well-grown plant with 6 clean, leafless bulbs.

Sepals were a delicate snowy white. Petals were upright and snowy white, partly hidden behind the dorsal sepals. The four-lobed labellum had a downward-pointing spur and was deep magenta centrally, fading towards the edges, with the lobes varying from pink to white.

Orchid Name: Paphiopedilum Nitens 'Pamela'

Parentage: Paphiopedilum insigne X Paphiopedilum villosum

Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)

Award Number: 05-2026

Grown By: Julie Hayward

Orchid Description: This beautifully grown Paphiopedilum was presented with 15 flower spikes, each carrying an open bloom. Grown in a 30 cm pot, the plant displayed attractive foliage with light mottling and reflected excellent culture and care.

The dorsal sepal is white with a soft lime-green overlay extending from the column and fading towards the top. Light brown vertical stripes and spotting add definition, while the fluted upper edge shows the influence of Paphiopedilum insigne. The ventral sepal is pale lime green.

The petals are pale lime green with a light brown overlay across the lower section. A central brown stripe runs through each petal, becoming slightly deeper towards the upper section, complemented by fine brown stripes and spots.

The labellum is pale lime green with a soft light brown overlay fading towards the tip. Together, the flowers and well-maintained plant created an attractive display worthy of a Cultural Certificate.

Orchid Name: Fredclarkeara After Dark 'Black Pearl'
Parentage: Mormodia Painted Desert X Catasetum Donna Wise
Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)
Award Number: 08-2026
Grown By: Lito Teopo

Orchid Description: This impressive plant was presented with 7 flower spikes carrying 102 open blooms and 10 buds, with an overall bloom width of 50.8 mm. The plant was exceptionally well grown, with 13 mature bulbs and 5 new bulbs with leaves, all clean and free from marks.

The sepals and petals are a rich, deep burgundy, creating the striking dark appearance for which this cultivar is known. The labellum is also deep burgundy, complemented by distinctive cream edging around the column.

The abundance of flowers, strong growth and excellent overall condition produced an outstanding display worthy of a Cultural Certificate.

Orchid Name: Calanthe vestita 'Sappho'
Parentage: Species
Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)
Award Number: 09-2026
Grown By: C Shannon

Orchid Description: This well-grown Calanthe vestita was presented with 5 flower spikes carrying 53 open blooms and 29 buds, along with one immature spike. The flowers had an overall bloom width of 35 mm. The plant was grown in a 7-inch terracotta bowl and carried 14 clean, leafless bulbs.

The sepals are white with a light pink blush towards the edges. The petals are also white, with a soft pink blush overlay that is more pronounced on some flowers.

The three-lobed labellum is magenta, with the upper two lobes displaying rose pink colouring and the lower lobe a softer blush pink. The generous flowering and strong overall growth created an attractive display worthy of a Cultural Certificate.

Orchid Name: Oncidium cheirophorum
Parentage: Species
Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)
Award Number: 10-2026
Grown By: Tara Nguyen

Orchid Description: This well-grown Oncidium cheirophorum was presented with 10 flower spikes carrying 181 open blooms and 89 buds. The blooms measured approximately 15 mm across. The plant displayed multiple bulbs with healthy foliage and showed excellent culture.

The sepals and petals are solid golden yellow. The labellum is golden yellow with contrasting white keels and white spotting in the throat.

Orchid Name: Lycaste Shonan Bright
Parentage: Lycaste Shoalhaven X Lycaste John Ezzy
Award Achieved: Award of Merit (AM)
Award Number: 11-2026
Grown By: Luis Ortiz-Catedral

Orchid Description: The plant was presented with 1 flower spike carrying 1 open bloom, with an overall bloom width of 151 mm. The flower displayed an attractive crystalline texture.

The sepals are cream with a green tinge and pale pink edging. The petals have a cream base infused with light pink. The labellum is cream with maroon edging, a yellow centre and a light yellow throat.

Orchid Name: Neopabstopetalum Kiwi Horizon 'Minty'

Parentage: Neopabstopetalum Adelaide Jester X Zygopetalum Kiwi Susan

Award Achieved: Highly Commended Certificate (HCC)

Award Number: 14-2026

Grown By: R & S Tucker

Orchid Description: This first-flowering seedling was presented with 1 flower spike carrying 6 open blooms and no buds. The overall bloom width was recorded as 646 mm. The plant was young and showed good growth.

The sepals and petals have a light green base with irregular brown stripes and blotches. The labellum has a white base colour with a lilac overlay extending into the throat.

Orchid Name: Neopabstopetalum Kiwi Horizon 'Lavendar and Lime'
Parentage: Neopabstopetalum Adelaide Jester X Zygopetalum Kiwi Susan
Award Achieved: Highly Commended Certificate (HCC)
Award Number: 15-2026
Grown By: R and S Tucker

Orchid Description: This first-flowering seedling was presented with 2 flower spikes carrying 4 open blooms and 2 buds. The overall bloom width was recorded as 701 mm. The plant was young and showed good growth.

The sepals and petals have a light green base with irregular brown stripes and blotches. The labellum has a white base colour with a lilac overlay extending into the throat.

Orchid Name: Neopabstopetalum Kiwi Horizon
Parentage: Neopabstopetalum Adelaide Jester X Zygopetalum Kiwi Susan
Award Achieved: Plant Breeders Award (PBA)
Award Number: 16-2026
Grown By: R and S Tucker

Orchid Description: A group of six plants was presented, showing award or near-award quality, with two plants receiving Highly Commended Certificates. The plants were young, first-flowering seedlings with similar characteristics.

The inflorescences were well presented, standing upright with the flowers facing forward. Flower size and form were considered average for young, first-flowering plants. The flowers showed similar characteristics across the group, with some displaying more brown markings than others.

Orchid Name: Rhynchostylis gigantea 'Ruby'
Parentage: Species
Award Achieved: Award of Merit (AM)
Award Number: 17-2026
Grown By:Wen Teo and Sue Chau

Orchid Description: The plant was presented with 2 flower spikes carrying 71 open blooms and 13 buds. The overall bloom width was 34.6 mm. The plant had clean leaves shaded light and darker green, with an elegant and even overall appearance.

The sepals and petals are a solid dark violet-purple with a touch of white at the column and slight natural reflexing. The labellum is very dark purple, becoming almost brown at the column, with a lighter shade of purple towards the front of the lip.

Orchid Name: Neopabstopetalum Liam Dee 'Muriwai'
Parentage: Zygopetalum Artur Elle x Neopabstopetalum Adelaide Jester
Award Achieved: Award of Merit (AM)
Award Number: 13-2026
Grown By: L & M Leaity

Orchid Description: This well-grown specimen was presented with 2 flower spikes carrying 5 open blooms. One spike was fully open, while the second was still developing. The plant had an impressive overall presentation, with fragrant flowers adding to its appeal.

The sepals and petals have a mid-green base covered with solid, irregular brown markings. The labellum has a clean white base with vivid purple colouring extending into the throat, creating a strong contrast with the green and brown tones of the flowers.

Orchid Name: Paphiopedilum rothchildianum 'Dan'
Parentage: Species
Award Achieved: Award of Merit (AM)
Award Number: 21-2026
Grown By: Sincere Orchids

Orchid Description: A well-grown and well-presented specimen, displayed with 2 flower spikes carrying 4 open blooms and 2 buds. The plant showed good vigour and several new growths. The flowers were well displayed and presented a strong overall appearance.

The sepals and petals are a pale green, heavily marked with strong maroon stripes. The markings are well defined and give the flowers good colour and contrast. The labellum is a rich red-brown, with darker brown veining adding further detail.

The combination of the pale green background, bold maroon markings and rich red-brown labellum gives this plant a distinctive and attractive floral display. The number of flowers and buds, together with the overall presentation of the plant, contributed to its Award of Merit.

Orchid Name: Cymbidium Robert Duvall
Parentage: Cymbidium Placido Domingo × Cymbidium Assassination Tango
Award Achieved: Highly Commended Certificate (HCC)
Award Number: 30/2026
Grown By: Ross & Susan Tucker

Orchid Description: A young plant with pendulous spikes carrying 41 open blooms and two buds. Overall width of bloom 52 mm; sepal length 29 mm, width 20 mm; petal length 30 mm, width 15 mm; labellum width 19 mm. Wide leaves show the presence of Cymbidium devonianum in the background parentage; some travel damage is present.

The sepals are lime green with a light magenta central stripe and flushing on the edges. The petals are lime green with a light magenta central stripe and flushing on the edges. The labellum is a very dark ruby with a creamy white central V towards the column; the pollen cap is white and the column is lime green.

Orchid Name: Paphiopedilum Debbie Robinson 'Leo'
Parentage: Paphiopedilum appletonianum x Paphiopedilum wardii
Award Achieved: Award of Merit (AM)
Award Number: 24-2026
Grown By: Shaun Putt

Orchid Description: A well-grown specimen with 22 flower spikes carrying 22 open blooms. The plant has densely packed, attractively mottled foliage in light and dark green, with plain green undersides. The large number of flowers provides an impressive display.

The sepals are apple green at the edges, with dark veining giving an overall lime-green appearance. The petals are dark lime green at the base, graduating to reddish brown towards the tips and overlaid with brown spotting.

The labellum is predominantly reddish brown, graduating to lime green towards the lower part of the pouch. The combination of the strong flower count, distinctive colouration and attractive foliage gives the plant good overall presentation and contributed to its Award of Merit.

Orchid Name: Paphiopedilum Debbie Robinson 'Leo'
Parentage: Paphiopedilum appletonianum x Paphiopedilum wardii
Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)
Award Number: 25-2026
Grown By: Shaun Putt

Orchid Description: An exceptionally well-grown specimen, presented with 22 flower spikes carrying 22 open blooms. The plant has dense, well-developed growth with attractive mottled foliage in light and dark green. The undersides of the leaves are plain green. The large number of evenly displayed flowers makes a strong overall presentation.

The sepals have apple-green edges with dark veining, giving an overall lime-green appearance. The petals are dark lime green at the base, graduating to reddish brown towards the tips and overlaid with brown spotting.

The labellum is predominantly reddish brown, graduating to lime green towards the bottom of the pouch. The combination of strong plant growth, dense foliage and an exceptional number of flowers demonstrates a high standard of cultivation and presentation, supporting the award of a Cultural Certificate.

Orchid Name: Pterostylis curta 'Dabel'
Parentage: Species
Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)
Award Number: 26-2026
Grown By: Warren Spencer

Orchid Description: A well-grown specimen, presented with approximately 124 flower spikes carrying approximately 92 open blooms and 32 buds. The plant is clean and even, densely planted in a 50 cm pot.

The sepals have a white base, lime green centrally with reddish green outer edges and brown stripes on either side. The petals are lime green with dark green stripes.

The inside of the lip is green with brown banding. The clean, even growth, dense planting and large number of flowers demonstrate a high standard of cultivation, supporting the award of a Cultural Certificate.

Orchid Name: Cattleya Kiwi Surprise 'Firevale'
Parentage: Rhyncattleanthe Leroy's Sunset × Cattleya Lucky Chance
Award Achieved: Award of Distinction (AD) for Colour & Markings
Award Number: 12/2026
Grown By: R & S Tucker

Orchid Description: Presented on a single spike carrying seven open blooms and no buds. Overall width of bloom 56.2 mm; sepal length 37.6 mm, width 18.6 mm; petal length 31.3 mm, width 29.2 mm; labellum width 16.1 mm.

The sepals are orange-yellow with a faint red at the tips. The petals are orange-yellow with a prominent red tip and veining towards the outer edge. The labellum is rather uneven and wavy, with blotches of the same red as the petals towards the throat; pollen cap white.

The plant is a healthy green colour, clean and well-grown.

Orchid Name: Cymbidium Summer Gold
Parentage: Cymbidium Peter Pan × Cymbidium Tom Thumb
Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)
Award Number: 18/2026
Grown By: R & S Tucker

Orchid Description: A large plant in a 300 mm pot, presented with 11 spikes carrying approximately 132 open blooms and 31 buds. The spikes are nicely staked and well presented. Foliage is clean with narrow leaves.

The sepals are yellow with a faint red blush to stripe randomly appearing on some blooms. The petals are predominantly yellow with a faint red blush randomly coming through. The labellum is pale yellow with deep burgundy spots on the lip; the inner lip is striated burgundy near the column.

Orchid Name: Oncidium Californian Fire
Parentage: Oncidium Petite Lace × Oncidium Leysa
Award Achieved: Highly Commended Certificate (HCC)
Award Number: 19/2026
Grown By: R & S Tucker

Orchid Description: A well-grown plant with minimal damage, presented on a single spike carrying 20 open blooms and 9 buds. Overall width of bloom 71.7 mm; sepal length 36.0 mm, width 28.5 mm; petal length 33.9 mm, width 28.8 mm; labellum width 22.7 mm.

The sepals are solid scarlet red. The petals are solid scarlet red. The labellum is golden yellow in the throat, changing to burnt orange on the front of the lip, with a white pollen cap.

Orchid Name: Cymbidium Kiwi Olive 'Extra Virgin'
Parentage: Cymbidium Key Largo × Cymbidium Hazel Tyers
Award Achieved: Highly Commended Certificate (HCC)
Award Number: 20/2026
Grown By: R & S Tucker

Orchid Description: Presented on a single spike carrying 13 open blooms and no buds. Overall width of bloom 90 mm; sepal length 52 mm, width 28 mm; petal length 53 mm, width 27 mm; labellum width 27 mm. Small standard-sized flowers. Clean foliage; the plant is not well balanced in the pot and shows some travel damage.

The sepals are pale lime green with a few slightly deeper coloured vertical lines. The petals are pale lime green with a blush-red central fine line. The labellum is pale lime green with dark brownish-red spots at the throat and a wide band of red around the lip.

Orchid Name: Cymbidium Clarisse Austin
Parentage: Cymbidium Tapestry × Cymbidium Rincon
Award Achieved: Highly Commended Certificate (HCC)
Award Number: 27/2028
Grown By: Lito Teope

Orchid Description: Presented on two spikes carrying 23 open blooms and no buds. Overall width of bloom 90 mm; sepal length 70 mm, width 42 mm; petal length 64 mm, width 34 mm; labellum width 33 mm. Some yellowing on the leaves from sun damage and previous scale; some leaves trimmed.

The sepals are burgundy with white edging, dark burgundy near the column, and darker stripes consistently over the sepals. The petals are burgundy with white edging, dark burgundy near the column, and darker stripes consistently over the sepals. The labellum is cream with rich deep burgundy spots and a wide band of white on the front edge, with a slight yellow stripe on the throat and the anther cap.

Orchid Name: Cymbidium Coraki Glowing
Parentage: Cymbidium Luna Advent × Cymbidium Glowing Sands
Award Achieved: Cultural Certificate (CC)
Award Number: 28/2026
Grown By: Lito Teope

Orchid Description: A plant of stately presentation with nine tall, well-staked and straight spikes carrying approximately 180 open blooms and nine buds. The spikes are open with nicely spaced blooms. Foliage consists of clean green long leaves; minor travel damage is present.

The sepals are bright yellow with slightly darker but faint veining that changes from light red to yellow; the base is flushed with red. The petals are bright yellow with slightly darker but faint veining that changes from light red to yellow; the base is flushed with red. The labellum is yellow with a red band at the front, a yellow base with fine red dots near the column, and bright yellow keels. The column is flushed with red on top and has a yellow base.

Orchid Name: Cymbidium Kiwi Belmont 'Cutie'
Parentage: Cymbidium Kiwi Devonport × Cymbidium Tethys
Award Achieved: Highly Commended Certificate (HCC)
Award Number: 29/2026
Grown By: Ross & Susan Tucker

Orchid Description: A young first-flowering plant with clean foliage, presented on two pendulous spikes carrying 45 open blooms and two buds. Overall width of bloom 60 mm; sepal length 35 mm, width 18 mm; petal length 40 mm, width 25 mm; labellum width 24 mm. The wide leaves show the influence of Cymbidium devonianum in the parentage.

The sepals are white with a pink overlay and darker pink veining. The petals are white with a pink overlay and darker pink veining. The labellum is cream with red velvet at the front of the lip and lemon striping in the throat.