ID & growing advice for my bargin orchid please!

[Pippa]

Can someone please tell me what this little beauty is and how to look after it? I have a rule never to buy an orchid without knowing its cultivation requirements, but I saw this one sitting on the half-price table in my local garden centre today and couldn't resist!

The whole plant is around 20cm tall and the individual flowers are about 1cm wide and 1.5cm long. No scent at the moment. It's desperate for a repot but I don't want to do anything to it until I know its requirements. All advice gratefully received.

[PaphMadMan]

Your plant appears to be Leomesezia (Formerly Howeara) Lava Burst 'Punani' AM/AOS. It may not be 'Punani' but it is almost certainly Lava Burst, though a hybrid ID can rarely be considered certain. Look for care instructions for the genus Rodriguezia, or general instructions for warm growing Oncidium hybrids. It should be an easy one, medium bright light, well drained potting mix. It is happy in a small pot, but do repot if the media appears old. A good choice for basket culture or mounted, if you are so inclined. Don't cut the spike until it is dry and brown as they can sometimes rebloom. Nice find.

[Pippa]

Thank you! What size potting mix would you suggest? I pot my phals and den phals into large bark chunks, but I find my Miltonipsis Herr Alexandre and Den Berry Oda have done better in a small bark mix.

It's currently potted into really big bark chunks, but they are part way up some of the pseudobulbs, so I'm a bit worried about rotting if I leave it like that.

[PaphMadMan]

Probably a mix on the fine side, as long as your watering practices will let it dry out between. If you tend to do more frequent heavy watering, then coarse.

[Pippa]

Ok, thank you. My miltoniopsis has done really well in the fine grade, so I'll use that for this one too.

Very pleased with the condition for a half price orchid. The funny thing is that there were two of the same orchid on the full price display that were in much worse condition than this one!!!

[Beallara49]

Very nice find. All my garden center has is noid phalaenopsis