The Orchid Source - Orchid Forum

If we're going to talk orchids, we definitely need the Floof Scale, since it is impossible to categorize orchids without it:

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For those needing a refresher on the floof designations, here they are:

-20 to 0 - WOnderfully Weird (WOW/FJS)
1 to 20 - Nary a Floof (NAF/FJS)
21 to 40 - Decidedly UNfloofy (DUN/FJS)
41 to 60 - Touch of Floof (TOF/FJS)
61 to 80 - DEcidedly Floofy (DEF/FJS)
81 to 100 - Floofy, Fluffy, Flouncy, and Frou-frou (FFFF /FJS)
101 to 120 - Above and BeyOnd Floof (ABOF / FJS)

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And for those needing a refresher on the floof score categories, here they are:

Color (20 points): a monotone flower would get zilch in this category, a five-colored-splash-petaled-floofy-monstrosity would get 20.

Ruffle (20 points): are edges of sepals/petals ruffly?

Fringe (20 points): 0 points for no fringe, 20 points for something like Rhyncholaelia (Brassavola) digbyana

Petals (20 points): are petals highly crowded/overlapping or simply crowd out the light like a "dinnerplate" vanda? If so, give that puppy 20 points.

Doodaflatchies (20 points): other odd protuberances or parts of the flower not covered by fringe or ruffle.

Discretionary: (+- 20 points) add (or subtract) up to 20 points to weight the floof score more in the direction that you want. If you're a LOF (lover of floof), you can add points for things like "texture, balance, overall prettiness". If you're a HOF (hater of floof), you can subtract up to 20 points for things such as "weirdness, ugliness, plainness", etc. NOTE: this can also be used to weight a score the opposite of your floof preference to help something more line up with your gut feeling as to its floof level.


Floof Scale created by OrchidSource members including Fiona,Lynne,and others.

A very necessary post, Ellen. Thank you.

I have to admit I never was clear on the difference between NAF and DUN. Did we ever come up with 'tipo' examples of each category? E.g. Pleuro. scheidii/ornata or Ornithochilus fuscata for WOW, (though I suppose colour might put them over the edge), and a splash-petal peloric Catt. hybrid as ABOF?

I think sometimes that floof is in the eye of the beholder(s). I've seen some that were tagged as 'floofy' that I would have said were downright hideous. Maybe that would be in the 'discretionary' category.

It needs to have a good presentation in addition to the floof factor.

Unfortunately, the species tend to be rather limited in the floof category. That's OK though, since the species 'snob' factor makes up for that (in my not so humble opinion )

oh goodness

I'd completely forgotten about this .....

I'm a HOF btw .... thus the + or - discretionary score