Bought a new oncidium, is it sick?

[Lamia189]

Hi guys!
I was at my local depot today and for the first time ever I found an oncidium for sale, so of course I bought it. I don't usually mind buying plants that don't look their best, having the mindset that nursing them back to health and seeing them flourish is more rewarding to me. It is my very first oncidium, so I could do with some advice.
I have found a few brown spots on the orchid, however I have read that its quite common and nothing to worry about. But seeing a huge variety in those spots online made me wonder if these are actually the ones or something else? I have also noticed that majority of them are on one side as shown in the pictures, also the leaves seem to have some lighter green patches as well. So could this be a sunburn or?
So, my question is, is the orchid ok? Can I place it with my other orchids or would that be risky? If it's a pest disease I wouldn't want it to spread. Thanks alot!

[rbarata]

I believe oncidiums lose theirs leaves from old pbulbs. So it might be the case. Also, as they are plants that like a little bit of moisture it may increase the possibility of spots on the leaves.
I'm no expert but I don't think I see anything abnormal for that genus.
But let's see what others have to say.

[MrHappyRotter]

I've seen healthier plants, but it seems to look okay. Granted, the photo quality is a bit lacking so that might affect my ability to see any concerning issues. The newest growth has new roots, so if you were going to repot, now is the time.

The lighter green bands on the leaves could very well be the beginning stages of sun burn. Just keep an eye on it.

To me the flowers look like this is a Miltonia. Possibly pure Miltonia, or it may have some Oncidium in the background.

[Lamia189]

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

I've seen healthier plants, but it seems to look okay. Granted, the photo quality is a bit lacking so that might affect my ability to see any concerning issues. The newest growth has new roots, so if you were going to repot, now is the time.

The lighter green bands on the leaves could very well be the beginning stages of sun burn. Just keep an eye on it.

To me the flowers look like this is a Miltonia. Possibly pure Miltonia, or it may have some Oncidium in the background.

You are right, it is a sunset miltonia. I have identified it after posting this thread.
I have found tiny black dots around the area where the leaves start at the tips of the pseudobulbs. They also go inside the leaves, so now I'm wondering if this could be a fungal infection. Besides those tiny black dots there are bigger but brown patches that aren't really circular, these two could be unrelated but I thought I'd mention it... Should I invest in some hydrogen peroxide 3% and spray the leaves in case it's fungi?

[Lamia189]

This is what I was talking about above

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by Lamia189

You are right, it is a sunset miltonia. I have identified it after posting this thread.
I have found tiny black dots around the area where the leaves start at the tips of the pseudobulbs. They also go inside the leaves, so now I'm wondering if this could be a fungal infection. Besides those tiny black dots there are bigger but brown patches that aren't really circular, these two could be unrelated but I thought I'd mention it... Should I invest in some hydrogen peroxide 3% and spray the leaves in case it's fungi?

I'm not the most knowledgeable about diseases, hopefully others will contribute to the advice here. Black spots are common in the oncidium alliance, they're considered cosmetic flaws, but aren't thought to have any major health consequences. Check them closely though to make sure that they aren't scale insects or other insect damage. If they rub off, they're probably bugs. If they don't rub off, then they're typical oncidium spotting.

Brown patches are a little more concerning, unless they're "dry", they could be a sign of fungus or bacteria. Keep a close eye on them, if they get bigger then spraying is in order. You can try peroxide, but that's only going to kill surface level microbes, and likely won't do anything for internal, systemic infection. For that you'd need to get a fungicide, and if feasible, cut away the infected tissue. As for the peroxide, I don't think I've used it on any of my Miltonias, so test it out on a small portion of one leaf first, wait a few days, and make sure it didn't cause any damage. Then you can consider spraying the whole plant.

Overall, my experience with Miltonias is that they aren't particularly prone to bacterial or fungal rot, especially when they're otherwise healthy. Keep them in bright-shady light (same as most other oncidium alliance plants), make sure they're grown with good air movement, and when it's warm, they love water. In the summer I grow mine sitting in a saucer of water the same way I grow my phrags. While I don't recommend that until you've got some experience with them, it demonstrates just how much they appreciate moisture.

---------- Post added at 08:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:11 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Lamia189

This is what I was talking about above

I don't think any of that looks particularly concerning. But, keep any eye on it would be my advice. This is more like the typical harmless cosmetic flaws you'd see on a home grown plant, as compared to the perfect, flawless foliage you'd expect from a commercial nursery.

[Dollythehun]

I grow a few of this tribe. I agree completely with MrRotter. Put the knife away, isolate and watch it.

[Lamia189]

Hi guys.
I thought I'd podt an update because something odd happened... I was examining my plants today and on a gardenia i have bought recently (bought it before I got the miltonia) I noticed some burned looking leaves. I thought they just burned in the sun since it was on the windowsill, but upon closer inspection I have noticed some tiny black /brown dots on the growing flower bud. Also on and under some of the leaves.. I took them off and compared to the dots on the miltonia - and they look the same. The only difference is that the dots on the gardenia can be rubbed off. I have recently reported the gardenia, so perhaps its just tiny soil particles but I just wanted to be sure. I will provide a picture, also one showing the spot in which the two plants are placed in relation to eachother. So does this look like any form of pest disease to you guys?

[Orchid Whisperer]

You don't seem like you want to accept a healthy diagnosis (?)

[MrHappyRotter]

The gardenia may have mites. Best to separate it from the rest of your plants and treat it, unless/until you know for sure it's something else. First line of defense is to clean the undersides of the leaves with rubbing alcohol soaked paper towel or cotton balls. Then use a miticide (oil based organic sprays & certain insecticides are effective) a few times, with applications spread about about every 7 - 10 days.

The orchid, however, still sounds and looks healthy to me. I think it's perfectly normal and commendable to be skeptical, I assure you that if you read up about orchid pests, talk to a few experts, and visit some collections, you'll realize that the black spots on the Miltonia are common in home grown plants, and not a significant health concern.