Got a beautiful maturing Oncidium for just $15!

[ronaldhanko]

A steal! Beautiful and every time I see one of these I wish I had room for them, but they are far too large for my set-up.

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by cythaenopsis

Hi Bud, good to see you again. I was wondering about the bulbs... the Cattleya and other Oncidium in my apartment have shown wrinkling from time to time, but I wasn't sure how indicative it was of under watering. Thanks for the suggestion on getting the larger cache pot.



Hey Vanda, I didn't realize that these are called Brassidium. Just learned something new. It's an intergeneric of the Oncidium family.

Yes, a cross between brassia and oncidium, possibly something else too. but it looks a lot like my brassidium. I love the delicate scent of them.

[james mickelso]

Either a brassia or brassidium. Nice buy there. The wrinkling of the pbulbs has more to do with growing that long flower spike than under watering. Do not repot this until new growth emerges in a couple months. Oncidiums and their intergenerics don't like to be repotted until new growth emerges from the base of the newest pbulb. And watch the watering too. They don't like to stay wet at all. Just moist. The pbulbs will not replump. They used the stored starches and water to produce those nice flowers. My Brassia Rex 'sakata' likes to dry out before I water it again and every year it puts on one or two long spikes that last about 2 months. I'll look for a picture. They do not need to be kept "humidified". They are very hardy. But overwater them and they are gone. Sorry, couldn't find the big rex but in the pic of part of the GH you can see it under a shelf. Also a smaller one with new growth. Also a pic of another "Hell If I Knowanara". I think it's a potinara. And the first flower on one of three new spikes on one of my cyms. Maybe CymLady can tell me the name.

[violetta]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Do not repot this until new growth emerges in a couple months. Oncidiums and their intergenerics don't like to be repotted until new growth emerges from the base of the newest pbulb.

This is VERY important. I wish I had known it before I killed my first Beallara by repotting it at the wrong time

[cythaenopsis]

Yeah, I took a whiff of several blooms and I could detect a faint scent--very nice to know this, Vanda.

Great photos and advice, James. I gave it a good 5 minutes of soaking and then let it drain. I'll be sure to let it dry out completely before I water again, and wait until there's new growth before I repot.

I did experience a little re-plumping of the pseudo bulbs on my still smallish oncidium, after they'd started to shrivel from undesirable conditions. The wrinkles are still there, but subdued now. I don't mind them as long as there aren't any seriously deep ruts. Anyway, I truly hope I get a solid month or two out of this bloom cycle (I suspect 5 weeks at best, given how they must have been blooming for at least 2 weeks already). I'm encouraged to hear that they're hearty. I've kind of grown tired of phals and want to expand my range but with varieties that aren't too sensitive (I lost a Dickensoniana because I couldn't give it enough humidity and warmth during the cooler months).

[james mickelso]

Yes the oncidium intergenerics are very hardy and nice flowers. Cyms are a very good orchid to grow and very reliable too. Catts are my favorite though. Lots of fragrance and colors. Also I am starting to want to grow miltoniopsis again. I used to grow them all the time but for some reason since I moved about 30 miles north of my old place they don't do well at all. But I shall persevere.

[Vanda lover]

James, I love the hell if I knowarara. I have always loved the Catts but I don't always have luck with them. I have one the only blooms once a year and this year it aborted it's buds. I have a hybrid ctna that has sheaths but I am waiting forever for it to bloom.

[PapaPhal]

Wow that is a nice plant. Who ever the grower was must have shipped far and wide because I almost purchased the same kind of plant in CO. The yellow with tiger stripes is eye catching.

[cythaenopsis]

Unfortunately, just one month later and half of the flowers have fallen off.... They may have been fairly mature flowers as it was, so I'm guessing it's normal.

Anyway, I read somewhere that oncidiums can bloom all year round... which has me puzzled as to what should be done with pruning. I'll have to do some research to see how to deal with this, as I expect you don't do a major pruning as you would on a phal.

[ALToronto]

Here's my Whole Foods buy, but I paid $25. This is a rebloom, and this spike has already died, about 6 weeks after it opened. But another spike (seen in the photo, in the back) is just about to open. This is a Beallara Tahoma Glacier.