Noid Oncidium - help and insights appreciated!

[Kim Brown]

I came across this Oncidium at my local garden center among a group of mostly yellow-brown cambria types. It stood out because of the shape and colour (in person it is more white). It only had one flower (past its best in the photo), with the stem snapped off below the rest of the buds.

...now, I am not an expert, but this flower reminds me quite a bit of photos I've seen of Odontoglossum crispum/Oncidium alexandrae (prefer the former, older name). Do you guys think I would be completely off in assuming that my plant is a hybrid featuring this species in its genetic makeup? And if so, how would you treat it? I've read that Odontoglossum crispum is VERY specific in its requirements.

[Ray]

I agree that it has a lot of odontoglossum in it.

[Kim Brown]

Thanks! Again, I'm no Odontoglossum expert, but it reminds me of both Odontoglossum crispum and Odontoglossum nobile. I'd prefer to give it room temperature, if it will accept that, but if the O. crispum climate preference is dominant, I'll probably have to grow it cooler. Which is problematic.

---------- Post added at 07:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:58 PM ----------

Here's a photo of the entire plant. My mother found it unremarkable. I think it has potential for a really pretty display. Odontoglossum experts are very welcome to chime in. Here in Denmark, finding an Oncidium with this type of flower is not common.

[estación seca]

It is possible the store could tell you their supplier, and you could eventually track it back to the grower. They might be able to give you a name.

Here in the US most of the hybrids sold in markets are quite easy to grow, and don't have the temperature requirements of their ancestors. I wouldn't think a huge commercial grower could make money raising difficult to grow but cheap orchids.

[Kim Brown]

Thanks, estacion. I actually tried that, but they get their orchids through a "middleman" who buys the orchids on the "world's largest flower auction" in Holland, where hundreds of orchid producers sell their orchids. I think I was lucky that this orchid happened to be in a lot, but finding who produced is probably like finding a needle in a haystack. I know some of the big South American orchid producers sell Odontoglossum crispum and hybrids thereod, and in Europe, McBean's is the only major producer I know of. The species seems pretty rare in the trade, and even the more attractive hybrids (the pink and white ones, IMO) are far between.

While I do like an ID, I like my NOID hybrid - just curious if you guys think it likely that it has O. crispum in it. And hoping that it won't be as fussy as O. crispum.

[Kim Brown]

I wrote a certain nursery specialising in the cooler growing Oncidiums, and their head nurseryman with decades of experience suspected my plant had Oncidium alexandrae as a parent.

Back at my local nursery, among the Nelly Islers and such, I found a pink-flowered variety, which I also suspect has some Oncidium alexandrae in it. The flower shape is by no means perfect, but again, I don't think I've ever seen white and pink hybrids of this type here in Denmark before. Besides, it had lost all but one of its flowers and was marked down to 50 kroner (just over 7 USD). They also had a nicotine yellow variety, but nicotine yellow (along with brick red) is a colour I don't find very attractive.

Both plants are in my south-facing windowsill along with my Zygo at the moment. The latter lost all of its leaves in fall (maybe because I misted it, thinking it would enjoy the humidity), but has since put up two new growths which have become quite tall. It seems to enjoy the cooler temperatures in my windowsill, so I figured the two Oncidium hybrids might thrive there as well - at least in the winter months.

[BongBong]

Back in the UK...
McBeans orchids are know for their Odont crispum/nobile...
But def this one is along those lines of crispum/nobile which are cool growers

[Kim Brown]

Originally Posted by BongBong

Back in the UK...
McBeans orchids are know for their Odont crispum/nobile...
But def this one is along those lines of crispum/nobile which are cool growers

Thanks! I thought so too. Are there any tricks/cheats to make these thrive in you house? Like mini air coolers or something? The white one has started a new growth and looks happy so far, but summers here get hot, and I do consider both plants to be a find. And yes, I’d love to one day grow Oncidium alexandrae.