ID please - is it a Tolumnia and how to care for

[goofy]

Hi,

I haven't checked in for a while. I am back for some more help from you orchid experts.
Few months ago I bought this NOID orchid. It has root all over in the air. Also the new growths seem to be on top of the older "bulb". I don't know what to do with the roots. Spray them? water the whole plant? A month ago, I notice some bottom leaves turned yellow . I am afraid the root would rot. This is the picture of it when I bought it. How do I care for this baby?
Thanks.

Thuy

[Rosiefuture]

Hi, I can't tell you if it's a Tolumnia but it is lovely.

From the pics it looks alike you have heaps of aerial roots which you can spray with water or dilute fertilizer.

Would it be possible for you to post a closer pic of the orchid as it is now?

Marion

[WhiteRabbit]

oh wow it's lovely - can't help with ID sorry. The blooms look like they could be Tolumnia, but I'm not sure about the plant growth. I had posted this info about care for Tolus before I realized there may be question about that. Hopefully someone can clear up the identity.

Tolumnia's don't like their roots to remain moist for long - you can spray those aerial roots daily, but try to avoid wetting the media unless it is dry. Many people grow them bare root in clay pots, drenching them daily, and allowing them to dry. I have mine in tiny clay pots with some treefern fiber. Generally if potted, the smallest pot possible should be used - clay, or net pots. If media is used, it should drain well, and not retain much moisture, and be allowed to dry completely before watering again. It's best to pot in a way that the media dries quickly.
They require a good deal of light to bloom. Also - they can bloom again off of previously bloomed spikes.

Gl

[goofy]

Thanks, I couldn't resist. I "had" to buy it.
Here is the picture of it now. Most flowers are done now. It had some yellow leaves at the bottom and the barks were moldy. The roots inside the pot didn't look good. I washed it with hydrogen peroxide and I moved it to a clay pot with only some charcoal in it and I spray it daily. I hang it near a window with lot air movement. The problem is the window is west facing, so it gets the aftenoon sun. I hope I won't kill it with the heat from the window. Temparature is between 68F - 84F. I live in the East Bay California.

Thuy

[goofy]

Also - they can bloom again off of previously bloomed spikes.

I didn't know this. Did you see the mistake I made, I already cut the stem from the previous biggest bloomed spike.

Thuy

[WhiteRabbit]

hmm I hope someone can determine if this is indeed a Tolu - looks rather like one, but the plant growth looks different from any of mine, tho somewhat similar.
I'm in San Jose, my Tolus are currently outside getting afternoon sun - in winter they go into a south facing window. They are fine with heat.

[orchidsamore]

Tolumnia have terete leaves (pencil shaped) and this plant does not.

Also Tolumnia are miniatures and yours looks much larger.

The flowers certainly look Oncidium type but the leaves look different. Tolumnia were classified as Oncidium and many are still labeled that way.

It probably is a newer Oncidium Intergeneric.

Tolumnia will flower off side branches as mentioned but Oncidium will not.

[goofy]

It is not as big as the picture looks like. The clay pot it is in right now is the smallest size pot I found at Home Depot (forgot what size it is, maybe 4"). The flower petals are about my thumb finger nail (I have small thumbs ). If it is something other than a Tolumnia and I treat it like one, I hope it won't die before someone helps me to figure it out.
Thanks.

Thuy

[littlefrog]

Not a tolumnia, for sure.

Could be a hybrid. Flowers look more like a comparettia than anything else (to me), but the foliage is wrong.

[goofy]

yes, when I googled comparettia, the flowers look a lot more like comparettia, but my flowers stems are branching out more. It is probably a hybrid that is easy to care for. I bought it at a flea market ($6.00).