Can someone ID this Orchid please?

[Kezabobeza]

Just moved into a new house and found this in a pot outside all full of weeds and grass. Looks like it's been outside for a while and is surviving a chilly winter well enough. I pulled the grass and took some pics, I'm hoping one you could help me ID it as I've only ever had phalaenopsis before.

[Roberta]

First, Welcome!

The flower looks like Osmoglossum pulchellum. It is, indeed, one tough little orchid - very cold-tolerant. It is just fine outside down to freezing. In summer you'd want to protect it from heat if you can - shade, lots of water. Winter it doesn't care. As soon as you see new growth, you should repot it, it needs to be well-drained. (I grow it mounted in southern California, so it dries out fast - different than other members of the Oncidium group that don't want to dry out.) It looks like it has been outside and in that pot for awhile, so you can see how forgiving it is. Wherever the the plant was, clearly that was a good place. So after cleaning up a bit (I'd wait for spring) just put it back in the same place. Oh, and it is also fragrant - fragrance may be weaker or stronger depending time of day, but very nice.

Great find!
Just for the record, here's mine. (Rather yellow, does get filtered sun - but my summers are likely cooler than yours)

http://orchidcentral.org/Images/Onci...hellum%202.jpg
http://orchidcentral.org/Images/Onci...pulchellum.jpg

Mine also blooms in winter. (For me, January, so July is right on schedule in the southern hemisphere)

[DeaC]

Cute little thing...well, not so little but the flower is sweet and care sounds simple and rewarding.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

What a great surprise!

[Kezabobeza]

Oh amazing, thank you so much Roberta. I'm glad it's hardy as I've a reasonably bad track record with Orchids.

And thank you for the welcome too 😊

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Kezabobeza

Oh amazing, thank you so much Roberta. I'm glad it's hardy as I've a reasonably bad track record with Orchids.

And thank you for the welcome too 😊

Glad to help! This one has been living outside for a long time if it has grass growing in the pot. (Don't disturb the orchid in the cold weather, but you can pull out the easy-to-grab grass if you want to if it doesn't try to pull the orchid with it) So wherever it is, it's a good spot. And take a look at the medium that it is in, too and try to give it more of the same. I'm guessing that it is in bark, but when you look at it closely you can tell.

But where Phalaenopsis are tropical babies (and not all that easy to grow and rebloom because we have to work to give the the conditions that they really want and our houses are typically too dry and too cool and not enough hours of light especially in winter) but this Osmoglssum pulchellum comes from mountain habitats in Mexico (southeast) and Central America, where it gets cold and hot and seasonally dry. So it's easy to give it what it wants outside. (I don't know where in Australia you are located, but it is likely that there are MANY orchids that will grow outside for you, with little effort) A difficult orchid is one where you have to apply effort (and often expense) to get an environment that matches its needs, an easy one is one where your natural conditions match its requirements. This forum is a great place learn about them and find out what will be in the easy category for you.

[Kezabobeza]

You give me hope. I'm in New Zealand rather than Australia so a bit cooler especially in summer. But again, it must have been managing the weather here for a while already, so not to worry I guess. You are a wealth of knowledge, thank you so much.

[Roberta]

Ah, sorry I got location wrong. Yes, cooler. Take a look at what grows in my back yard (links in my signature line) 90% of my collection lives outside all year around. Winter lows typically 2-4 deg C, occasionally a bit lower. Winter days 18-24 deg C, occasionally either warmer or colder for short times. Summer lows around 20 deg C, highs typically 27-35 deg C, occasionally higher - up to 40. I suspect that my climate (at least in terms of temperature) is very similar to yours. Much drier, "rain" comes out of a hose. But it's easy to add water where necessary.

[Kezabobeza]

Oh no worries about getting the location wrong, it was a good guess. And you're right I think we do have similar temperature ranges. Your orchids look gorgeous!!!