Albas & Albinism : Pure colour is the term Alvin Bryant first used in the 1960's to describe Cymbidiums whose floral segments were free from "sun staining" or red pigment production . More correctly these Cymbidiums are called albas. In Cymbidiums albinism refers to the inability of the plant to produce red pigments (anthocyanins). More than five enzymes are required to synthesize these pigments, each working in concert. Any even minor disruption in any of the mechanisms of these enzymes by either genetic or environmental factors would halt anthocyanin production. Due to a genetic fault (actually a missing enzyme) albinism is expressed in Cymbidiums as a non staining , pure colour of the floral segments and complete absence of red pigmentations in both the plant and its flowers. Thus we see white, yellow and green alba flowers or combinations/ variations of  these colours. 

  One of the major roles of anthocyanin-related pigments is to serve as a UV screen and they are produced in response to exposure of the plant to UV radiation, protecting the plant's DNA from damage by sunlight. (UV causes the paired strands of genetic material in the DNA double helix to become cross-linked, preventing cell division and other vital cellular processes like protein production). The red pigments in Cymbidium flowers normally play a role in helping to protect tissue from "burning" or damage due to extremes of temperature and light, some alba varieties are  prone to "burning" of the labellum from exposure to high and/or low temperatures. As well there tends to be a higher incidence of abnormal meiosis in albas leading to ploidy changes in the progeny of some alba varieties or even infertility in some alba lines.  

Albinism is inherited according to Mendel's principles -with the alba phenotype only seen if the plant is homozygous for the alba genotype. This means that "normal" coloured Cymbidiums may be carrying the alba gene if they have an alba ancestor in their parentage. 

At Bryants we have concentrated on  breeding tetraploid albas and improving the intensity of flower colour, flower shape and size as well as selecting for "burn" resistance. Of course productivity and plant vigour have been included in the breeding program. Today we have albas that are equal to or even better than their "normal" coloured counterparts in most respects. From our original Sleeping Beauty cross we are now 6 generations along the Bryants Orchid's alba development program.