Oncidiums - Should I or should I not?

[fooferdoggie]

here is not a bad deal ONC. SHARRI BABY. 2 SPIKES. VERY FRAGRANT. ONCIDIUM ORCHID PLANT | eBay

[mlira85]

Originally Posted by fooferdoggie

here is not a bad deal ONC. SHARRI BABY. 2 SPIKES. VERY FRAGRANT. ONCIDIUM ORCHID PLANT | eBay

Thank you for the link

[will1986]

Originally Posted by will1986

When you buy Oncidiums, look for bright green leaves and plump pseudobulbs. Older pseudobulbs will often have some degree of wrinkling, but they should still be plump, not flat/shriveled. If you can do this without disturbing the plant too much, pop it out of the pot and make sure the roots which are visible are healthy (firm and white-ish, not hollow and brown). Many types of Oncidium hybrids have a tendency to get tiny little black dots on the leaves when grown in high-light conditions. Some people find this unsightly, but it doesn't hurt the plant, so you don't necessarily need to be alarmed by tiny black dots on the leaves, as long as you think you can tell the difference between this type of dot and the type of dot which is caused by disease (you can google pictures of both types of spots).

If you want the complex hybrids with larger flowers, look for plants labeled Aliceara, Beallara, Vuylstekeara, Degarmoara. You can watch at Lowe's, as they have them sometimes. I have a Beallara Tahoma Glacier I got at Lowe's. I feel like I usually see this type on Oncidium at Lowe's in the fall, so maybe your Lowe's will have them then also. You can also of course look online. I've bought Odontoglossum hybrids from Akatsuka Orchids before and been very happy. Their plants are in spike unless the item description says otherwise, and they're always very nice. Also, The Orchid Gallery sells on Amazon and Ebay, and their plants are great. They don't have very many of any particular plant, so their inventory changes frequently and you have to check their Amazon or EBay store regularly, but if you watch long enough, you'll definitely see them offering some great complex Oncidium hybrids, which may or may not be in spike.

I'd also like to add Kalapana Tropicals to my list of online vendors I've been pleased with. They have a good selection of intergeneric Oncidinae, and the plants I've bought from there have been very nice.

[mlira85]

Originally Posted by will1986

I'd also like to add Kalapana Tropicals to my list of online vendors I've been pleased with. They have a good selection of intergeneric Oncidinae, and the plants I've bought from there have been very nice.

Awesome, thank you!!

[mlira85]

Hi everyone!!

I just purchased my very first oncidium at Trader Joe's and I wanted to get some input on the name of this beautiful orchid. Trader Joe's doesn't label their orchids they sell so I'm curious as to the name of this beauty. Thanks so much

[Orchid Whisperer]

It appears to be an intergeneric Oncidium alliance hybrid. You may get some "looks like "_________" but as with most such plants, an exact ID is nearly impossible from a photo w/o a tag. As with all such 'no identification' ("NOID") plants, just enjoy it. I have a few NOID plants and I just enjoy the show when they bloom.

[fooferdoggie]

I go by the smell on those (G) the darker the flower darker red the close to sharry babyI have found.

[will1986]

Orchid Whisperer is right about getting a definitive ID on that plant. It's probably just not possible, but I will say it looks a lot like Oncostele Catatante. That's a very popular hybrid, which I think one might be likely to find at a place like Trader Joe's.

If that is what it is, it's an intergeneric Oncidium hybrid that will grow well under typical Oncidium conditions.

Even if I'm wrong about the ID, I think it's pretty certainly an Oncidium intergeneric of some sort, and you will do just fine with moderate light and temperatures and plenty of water in a well-draining mix that allows it to get not quite dry between waterings. I find that Oncidiums often take more water than I would expect. It's safer to err on the side of too dry, and the plant will tell you if you are keeping it too dry, because you will see accordion-like pleating on the new leaves. If you see that happening, that means you need to water more.

I'm glad you finally found one you like, and it's certainly beautiful! Congratulations, and good luck!

[estación seca]

I think you're going to like it, even without a name. Who knows the names of the people they are attracted to until later?

[Mountaineer370]

Originally Posted by will1986

Orchid Whisperer is right about getting a definitive ID on that plant. It's probably just not possible, but I will say it looks a lot like Oncostele Catatante. That's a very popular hybrid, which I think one might be likely to find at a place like Trader Joe's.

Congratulations on your new orchid. It's a beauty!

As others have mentioned, it's impossible to give a definitive ID of an unnamed grocery store or big box store orchid. Even the experts can only give you a "looks like" guess -- and I am definitely not an expert -- but I'd say it looks very much like Catatante 'Pacific Sun Spots.' I've seen the first word in the name variously referred to as Oncostele, Colmanara, and something else I can't remember right now. I've seen a lot of these at the shows in my area this past year, and it's on my wish list, but it may be too big for my space.

Google that name and see for yourself if it looks like yours. You'll never know for sure, but just enjoy it, whatever the name.