Two oncidium types?

[jcec1]

I have had these two orchids for just over a year. I bought them from a local market and in bloom and they have bloomed again this year - can anyone shed any idea as to what they are and what their optimal culture should be?

[reliablefool]

I commonly see these labeled as Colmanara Masai Red Splash and Colmanara Masai Red or various combinations of the words. Not really sure of their care or if that's their real names, but they're always beauties.

[RandomGemini]

I LOVE these! Whatever culture you're using must be correct, because they wouldn't have bloomed again if you were doing something wrong.

So how are you caring for them? Do they seem to be pretty easy?

[Lilac]

Those are beautiful!

[kentaki]

The second one looks like Odcdm. Bitter Sweet, and in fact there is a clone named 'Massai Red':
Odcdm. Bittersweet 'Massai Red' (Odcdm. Crowborough x Odm. bictoniense)

I am not sure about the first one, but looks like it has an Odm. (or whatever) rossii background.

I Googled Odcdm. Bitter Sweet 'Massai Red,' and found this:
Odontoglossum Alliance Mericlones, Seedlings - mt beenak orchids
Odontocidium Midnight Miracle 'Massai'

Does this look close enough? It does not have an Odm. rossii background, and it is a cross between Odm. boctoniensis x Onc./Odm. cariniferum.

[jcec1]

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

I LOVE these! Whatever culture you're using must be correct, because they wouldn't have bloomed again if you were doing something wrong.

So how are you caring for them? Do they seem to be pretty easy?

They get watered once a week and that's about it, so pretty easy I guess.

Thanks to everyone for the ids.

[euplusia]

Very colourful hybrids. You made them bloom again, which is a great success.
In my experience they should be repotted annually in a medium fine bark mix. During summertime you can grow them intermediate to warm, with regular watering and diluted fertilizing. Don't forget a Ca/Mg-fertilizer. When the bulb is nearly completed in autumn, reduce watering and fertilizing by giving less water and a prolonged intervall. When days grow grey and short, provide maximum light.
Eventually you can grow them outside in summertime, the climate in the UK should be beneficial.

[jcec1]

Originally Posted by euplusia

Very colourful hybrids. You made them bloom again, which is a great success.
In my experience they should be repotted annually in a medium fine bark mix. During summertime you can grow them intermediate to warm, with regular watering and diluted fertilizing. Don't forget a Ca/Mg-fertilizer. When the bulb is nearly completed in autumn, reduce watering and fertilizing by giving less water and a prolonged intervall. When days grow grey and short, provide maximum light.
Eventually you can grow them outside in summertime, the climate in the UK should be beneficial.

Thanks for the information. When repotting, should it be in a bigger pot or is it better to remove old media and replace with fresh?

[MattWoelfsen]

Be careful when repotting your Oncidium. As advised earlier, do this task when it is warmer, it is not in bloom, and it is showing signs of growth.

Water your plant prior to re-potting--this will allow the plant to slip out of its pot. Whatever planting media you use, soak it--if you are using a bark mixture, put it in a pan and pour boiling water over it. This will open up wood cells and make them more absorbent. Allow this media to cool down before using.

Gently remove your plant from its pot. Gently remove any loose or decayed potting media. Disturb the roots as little as possible. If your plant has a lot of pbulbs--you can decide at this point if you want to divide it. Since I have limited space, I just re-pot in a pot, an inch larger. This will give you a lot of spikes a year from now. Put new media at the bottom of the pot and gently place the plant on top. Then carefully put media around the sides and top off the plant so that there is enough pot walls left to hold in the new media. Water again to settle the plant into its new pot. Put the plant in its place and leave it alone for the next week or so.

Return its label to the pot. I would use a permanent ink pen and put the date it was re-potted on the label. I would not repot this plant for at least a year and half to two years. Oncidiums seem to dislike re-potting, so it may take that long to get it to re-spike. But you may get a surprise if you repotted your plant without disturbing its roots.

Please forgive me if I told you something you already knew...I have several Oncidium and I made the mistake three years ago. I re-potted and removed as much material from the plant and consequently lost too many roots. Those plants are growing but it has taken this long for them to get into a growing cycle, as opposed to a recovering cycle.

[jcec1]

Thanks Matt for the comprehensive repotting instructions, this is the reason I joined this forum, nothing like expert advice.