1 PB left - I need help before I kiil her

[Lilly B]

I purchased this Wils. Lisa Devos "HOF #5" in 1/09 at a show. I've never had an Oncidium before and obviously should not have one now. She was beautiful (first 3 photos) and I was so enthralled by the flowers at the show that I never really looked at the plant before purchasing it. When I checked it out the next morning I realized that it had some kind of black fungus all over the leaves. After blooming was finished she got sicker. I cut off all the fungus ridden leaves and then pulled all the black, withered PB away from the plant. A keiki formed and grew to about 3 inches and had it's own roots so I pulled her away from the PB which I now realize was a very bad thing to do. She is down to one PB which is black and withered at the top on one side (last 2 photos her current state). She has a new keiki forming and I don't want to kill this one. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Eyebabe]

The new growth is encouraging but the mother bulb looks pretty diseased...not sure you can save it
The little guy may make it on his own though.
As long as the old bulb does not become soft, hand on as long as you can.

[RosieC]

The growths on these are not keikis, but just new growths on the plant. Oncidium alliance plants are sympodial which means each plant has lots of growth from the base, unlike something like a Phal which is monopodial.

A growth from the base of a Phal is a keiki because they don't usually produce multiple growths, but ones on these are just part of the usual growing patten of the orchid.

That being the case, as you have now realised you should leave them on the plant. With a large plant with multiple new growths you can split them but you should always have several mature p-bulbs and at least one new growth with each part of the division.

Anyway, the fact that you have another new growth is really good, but unfortunately all you can really do now is give it the best care you can and wait to see what happens. Hopefully this growth will be able to start producing it's own roots and mature before all the reserves in the p-bulb are used up.

I have a zygo that got down to one very shrivled p-bulb (and no roots) but it put out a new growth and then new roots and while it's not yet mature or out-of-the-woods it's growing and getting better all the time... so I think there is hope for yours as well.

[Lilly B]

Thanks for the info and proper terminology. Like I said, I don't know anything about the Oncidiums and had no business getting one. I have never lost an orchid before and I'm hoping that this one hangs on. I'd love to see those flowers again. Should I give this poor plant some fertilizer or just leave her alone?

[RosieC]

Personally I would fertilise it, but I'm not certain. That's what I'm doing with my zygo I'm trying to save.

[CTB]

Water and fertilize sparingly the new growth, it is living off the old bulb, let it grow for awhile before removing it. I have a couple that have been growing about three months that I think are finally ready to be transplanted but will keep old bulb and new growth together, Old bulb is not hurting anything.

[billc]

Hi Lilly, I would fertilize it at 1/4 strength and flush with plain water every 4th watering. These intergenerics are fairly hardy, so you should be able to save it. You do need to figure out why the old bulbs shriveled so quickly. Perhaps too much heat and the plant stressed out?
I really like the flowers.

Bill

[Lilly B]

Thanks all. I will try a little fertilizer and see what happens. I got her in January and really we had a cold winter last year, for S. Florida, so I don't think it was heat related. I think she had fungus issues when I got her and it spread so quickly that I moved her away from the other orchids for fear of it spreading to them. I think the moral of the story is make sure you check out more than the flowers before buying the orchid.
Thanks Bill, I also love those flowers.