Burrageara Crimson Pride with a snapped flower spike

[dial15]

My Crimson Pride developed a flower spike that buried itself into the leaf of the pseudobulb about 1/2 inch from the base. I tried to free it and it snapped off leaving a 3/4 inch spike behind. Do you think it has a chance to keep growing and produce flowers? I had a similar thing happen to my Baby Raspberry Chocolate oncidium but it turned into the leaf much higher up and it was about 4 inches of bowed growth that had hardened off some and I able to free it without damaging the growing tip and has straightened out and will flower.. Any advice about how to handle flower spikes that turn into the leaf and get stuck?

[estación seca]

It probably won't make more flowers. The best way to prevent this is to keep them well-watered so the spike can expand as strongly as possible.

[Roberta]

If you do happen to catch one of these "stuck" spikes early enough to set it free, the way to do it is VERY CAREFULLY. You sometime can spread the leaf that's holding it, and very gently guide it up and out. A pencil or skewer or similar pointed object slid under the tip of the spike may be able to release it better than fingers.

[dial15]

I did use a probe and not my fingers. If I notice this again I will wait for the growth to harden so long as it seems to keep growing. I may also try a small vertical split along the leaf to help free it. I'm kicking myself for my impatience. The angle was so tight and the growth so fresh and tender. The bend was tight the arc of half a nickel coin. Ahh hindsight.

[estación seca]

It might have released itself. They usually get stuck in lateral bracts that don't last long, anyway, so you can start at the tip and split the bract to the base.

[dial15]

Thanks, I was wondering about splitting the leaf. My oncidium has one leaf that split itself down along its mid section awhile back and is still green and healthy.

[Fairorchids]

And, with all the taxonomic changes, this one has also changed genus. Burrageara is now obsolete (one of the genera recognized by that artificial genus has been renamed, probably from Odontoglossum into Oncidium).

The current name is Oncidopsis Crimson Pride.

[dial15]

It is hard to be aware of all the reclassifications going for more than orchids, plants and the rest of creation too. Thanks for the current info. I was seeing it named variously so I used the name on the plant tag. The variegated phal that I purchased from you at the Nutmeg Orchid Show Is a joy to look at every day. If you have more info on its name, please share as there was no tag.

[Fairorchids]

My supplier usually has a paper label on the side of the pot with the name. If the plant you bought does not have that, we need to do a little research.

I might have found it online. See photo (= Phal. Chia E Yenlin 'Variegata').

[dial15]

Yes that is it! And that is what I suspected. Thanks for confirming.