Trichocentrum Ollie Palmer Red--culture info.

[EDDIE]

Hello everyone,

Here are a few pics of a trichocentrum Ollie Palmer I bought a few weeks ago at Lowes. This was labeled as an Oncidium; I found out later that it is actually a trichocentrum. Can someone please give me some culture on this one? I keep it in an east window where it gets bright lights several hours out of the day and I water it about every 4 days. The second pic is of a new growth. Thanks for any info...

[WhiteRabbit]

good luck!

[stefpix]

Probably it can get a lot more light and get some purple freckling on its leaves. I have one, has not bloomed.southern window, hanging high close to teh glass. in the summer outdoors.

[tucker85]

I've had this cross for a couple of years but I didn't realize it had a registered name now. It can take pretty strong light. Maybe not quite cattleya light but more than a phal.. Watering is like a phalaenopsis. It has no psuedobulb so water when it gets almost completely dry. Don't leave it dry for very long. They get pretty big and with good light they can have very tall spikes. Unfortunately trichocentrum have a reputation for sometimes dying suddenly with no apparent reason. I was warned about this and it happened to one of my plants. But I have two that have done well and grown quite large. Good luck.

[stefpix]

i wonder actually if it can stay pretty dry. sometimes I forget to water it. it grows roots outside of the pot. It gets direct sun, never got any burn spots. Tucker - did you get it to bloom?

[tucker85]

Originally Posted by stefpix

i wonder actually if it can stay pretty dry. sometimes I forget to water it. it grows roots outside of the pot. It gets direct sun, never got any burn spots. Tucker - did you get it to bloom?

Yes, mine has bloomed every year. I do agree with you though. I have grown mine with my cattleyas. They're in fairly bright light and they get rain frequently during the summer here in South Florida. It rains almost every day during parts of the summer. In the winter I've been letting them get very dry just like my catts.. They have done well that way but recently a commercial grower told me that they come from a wet region. He pointed out that they do not have psuedobulbs so they do not experience drought in their environment. So now I've started keeping them a little wetter in the winter. But I admit, I'm not sure that's right for them. But I do know that they like lots of moisture and strong light when they're growing. Whatever works for you, definately keep doing it.

---------- Post added at 11:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:02 AM ----------

I found this on one culture sheet.

Grow plants in intermediate temperatures in partial shade to bright light. Water plant when mix drys. During the winter give plants a slight dryout between waterings. Water approximately once a week. Pot with medium fir bark

[stefpix]

I feel Trichocentrums have succulent leaves. They look like phals' leaves but are a lot more turgid. So I wonder if they can get drier actually than reg Oncidiums with fine roots. I think I may have to keep it a bit wetter, I forgot to water it sometimes for a while and yet the leaves never got wrinkly at all. it grows aerial roots. I bought it at Lowes for a dollar and I think it had not been watered for 2 months. The old leaves were wrinkled. But I wonder what I need to do to make it bloom. My Onc. ornithorhynchum seedling bloomed in less light I am giving to the Trichocentrum.

[EDDIE]

the newest growth on my trichocentrum seems to have stopped growing for now; it is almost 2 inches long. I repotted a couple of months ago and it did fine; it is growing new roots, but just the new growth seems to have stopped growing. Does anyone know why this may have happened?

[Myrle Diefendorf]

I just discovered I have an Onc. Ollie Palmer. I had itin with my Phals, and it is growing lots of roots and a new shoot. I must have had it there for a few years. What media and type pot or basket should it go in, and what media?

[lovalovalover]

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