Need help with an Oncidium ?

[Piao Liang]

Attachment 97373



Hello,

I live in France, in Marseilles. I am a total beginner concerning orchid care. I have several Phaelenopsis but I got a Cymbidium? as a gift and I am totally lost! In fact, it is an Oncidium, thank you for the messages correcting this (see below).
I put it next to the terrace with the door open so it is virtually outside. I watered it the same way I water my phals but realized that it was not thriving. I waited for spring to repot it and when I did so last week I noticed that it had moss around the roots which was quite damp and the rest of the medium was a mixture of bark. So I suppose that by watering it copiously once every 10 days it was getting too humid. I have read that when orchids are in this medium one should water them slightly every day. Anyway, I have repotted it in a mixed bark medium. As it has very few roots left I decided to spray it in the surface every day and keep it on top of a bed of clay pebbles since the roots are short and do not touch the bottom.

Today I noticed that one of the leaves has turned yellow and the leaves are starting to wilt.

I don't know what to do. I would really appreciate your help.

I am including some photos. I am sorry, I don't know how to attach the photos so somehow they ended up at the beginning of my message. I can only see one picture. I didn't manage to upload the other ones.

As you can see from the pictures, there is new growth starting, there is one yellow leaf, the roots are short.

[Bud]

You need to put it in a smaller pot. When you disturb the roots of a Cymbidium, you need to let it rest for a week with no water or fertilizer until the roots get used to the environment and then resume water and fertilizer regimen.
Add half a handful of potting soil to that media mix you have in case you didn't have any Cymbidium potting mix.
It is a good sign that there is a new growth. The yellowing of a leaf is normal. Some old leaf needs to expire.....leaves cannot live forever. But then if all the leaves turn yellow then there is something wrong.

[Piao Liang]

Thank you very much for your help.
So I stop spraying it in the surface? Do I take it out of the tray with clay pebbles ? Do I leave it for one week and then resume watering?
Thank you again.

[WhiteRabbit]

That doesn't look like a Cymbidium. - Oncidium, I think.

[james mickelso]

Definitely an oncidium. Potted too deeply too. Take out some of the bark. It is in sad shape too. But they are my favorites. Water this and let it rest in medium light. Keep it warm. When it is ready it will put out small new growths from the base of the pbulbs. This isn't an oncid but is an intergeneric of some kind.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I will add to the fact that what you have is not a Cymbidium. It is some sort of Oncidium, most likely an intergeneric Oncidium of some kind, as was mentioned.

Oncs can be very resilient. So it isn't dead until everything is dead.

Yes, a much, much smaller pot would be a better choice than a large one. The living roots should barely fit into the pot - that's how small the pot's gotta be.

And, yes, it is potted too deep. Bury only the roots, do not bury the pseudobulbs or the rhizome.

[Piao Liang]

Thank you very much, I have changed the title of my message. It definitely looks more like an oncidium.