Wils. Red Pacific 'Deep Shadows'

[Nita M]

I'm new to the board. Am trying to grow some phals, vandas, oncidium. However, I just received the Wils. Red Pacific 'Deep Shadows' from my youngest daughter for Mom's Day. I have found zilch on the web about these plants. What type of care do they require - anything similar to vandas or phals? Right now it is planted in a plastic pot, inside another plastic liner which is in a decorative planter. I'm sure that it should come out of all that plastic. I have taken some pictures of it as well as the top (looks very mossy) of what it is growing in. If you'd like to see pix, I'll try to download them.

Thanks for any help or light you can shed on care for my new baby.

Nita M

[kiki-do]

Hello again Nita,
I don't have this particular orchid, but in one of my books it is listed. It's Wilsonara, which is a mix of Cochlioda x Odontoglossum x Oncidium.
These orchids do not like their roots to dry out. Perhaps that is why they are in moss. They are cool to intermediate growers and require abundant water throughout the year and a part shaded position in a humid environment with plenty of air circulation.
Sooooo, sounds like it might have similar requirements as a phal. Doesn't it? The pictures in my book show they are a very pretty orchid. I hope you do download some pictures for us to see. Hope that helped! Also, you might do a Wilsonara search up top here and see if anything pops up from others here on OB. You never know!

[Nita M]

Kiki - thanks so much - my, they are a kind of Heinz variety, aren't they? Well, when I googled for Wilsonara, I got mostly listings on Wilson golf clubs and equipment - gee, fancy that!!!

But yes, they do somewhat sound like phals growing properties. Except, I think my phals can dry out a bit more than the Wilsonaras maybe? Well, I water my vandas every day, so keeping my Wils fairly moist shouldn't be too much of a stretch for me.

Nita