Oncidium - dancing lady?

[RandomGemini]

Is the skirt on the petals a lighter yellow? It's hard to tell in your photos, the color looks pretty uniform, but I do think the shape of the bloom is a better match. You might be on to something here. Possibly a hybrid with sphacelatum in its background?

Hrm... nope, nevermind. I think the petals in that photo you linked to are actually just a little dehydrated. My sweet sugar's blooms lighten in color before they dry up and drop. I think you have a match there!

[POLKA]

after seeing the whole plant pictures, it is either an O. sphacelatum, or a primary hybrid with O. sphacelatum as a parent.

They get big. More light keeps the spike thick, and strong, and not so long. Grown with less light, the spikes can get quite long in the 3 to 6 foot range.

Yellowish green is good if you like blooms, especially in this genus, and with this specific species. Yellow only is not good, but yellowish green is always good = BLOSSOMS <grin>

Rex

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by Aussie42

It's in perlite and coir peat. I was put onto this mix a few years ago by one of Dad's orchid growing friends. It works really well on just about everything - Dens, Catts, Ceologynes etc. I've even been trialling a Stanhopea in it - it's been doing well for six months so when I repot my other Stans I will seriously consider it.

Getting the mix right is tricky at first - you don't want too much water held, but you don't want it too dry. For example I used a fair bit more peat with the Stan than I would for a Den or Catt.

Cheers,
Aus.

I love perlite and coconut for most of my orchids, but you might want to try the coconut chips. They don't pack down or break down as easily.

[Aussie42]

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

Is the skirt on the petals a lighter yellow? It's hard to tell in your photos, the color looks pretty uniform, but I do think the shape of the bloom is a better match. You might be on to something here. Possibly a hybrid with sphacelatum in its background?

Hrm... nope, nevermind. I think the petals in that photo you linked to are actually just a little dehydrated. My sweet sugar's blooms lighten in color before they dry up and drop. I think you have a match there!

Mine have started turning lighter yellow around the lip now, that lighter yellow is probably just a flower that has been open for a few days.

Cheers,
Aus.

[Aussie42]

I was coming home from the supermarket earlier today and saw this out of the corner of my eye. It's a few doors down the road - maybe 120 metres on the opposite side. There are three in three trees on the footpath. And a huge one in a front yard opposite. All the pics are of the biggest footpath orchid.

And yes, I knicked a single flower, walked the huge distance home and held it beside one of my blooms - identical! I had it independently verified as identical by my 7 year old son.

So this is evidently not an uncommon plant around here...

Cheers,
Aus.

[pjoeverett]

you would never see that in Oh.....finally I am getting my oncidiums to spike