New Onc. Carnival Costume- keiki? repot?
 

For once, I did not buy another orchid! It was given to me! :biggrin:
What do you guys think?

It's a mini onc. Carnival Costume.
It looks like it's trying to escape it's pot.
Are all those aerial roots normal, or a sign that I should repot?

Pic. #3 - is that a keiki?

Pic. #4 - is this a spike forming, or a new leaf? Looks like a leafy mitten.

Pic. #5 - sad looking pbulbs that look questionable. The roots are healthy, but the bulb is shriveling and the leaves are leathery and yellowing- with black spots.
get rid of it?


In any case, I'm super excited! I think she's lovely, and she has one completely unbloomed spike.

spikes initiate from within the bract foliage, not sure if that's where your growth in question is ? When small they are hard to tell the difference from new growth.
I don't know if Oncidium types generally keiki - tho some Tolumnia species do. A lot of orchids have a tendency to grow "up hill", so it may be that.

Pbulbs do shrivel some as they age, and the leaf in question is probably just normal die off. I would let it be.
Your plant looks pretty happy to me :)

Cool!
This Onc. looks a lot like a tolumnia type to me, with that big skirt- could it be an influence?

And...where is the bract foliage? This is about halfway up a "stalk" of leaves on a bulb.

Your plant looks fine, nope no keiki and I don't believe it's a spike forming. I'd wait to repot unless the medium is breaking down. Is there any drainage in the pot?
Joann

What is it then? It looks like a bulb floating in the leaves.
There is good drainage, it's in fine bark.

I have seen pix of new growth on top of pbulbs - I think it's a very happy plant

And I have read that Carnival Costume does have Tolu in it, which was why I mentioned it. My Tolu species that keikis a lot is sylvestris, but the keikis don't grow like that on my particular one - the plant sends out 'spikey' things - actually away from the parent plant, not growing directly on the parent, so idk.

:D Woo!!! I was on the right track!

Super cool that I finally got a plant that's actually "very happy" rather than just...."pleased".

oh and bract foliage are the 'leaves' surrounding the pbulbs, rather than the foliage growing from top of pbulb ...

:goodjob :biggrin:

That's exactly what I was thinking.


And you were right about the tolumnia. I searched down the carnival costume parents: Onc. Sarcatum x Tolumnia Red Belt

Now I just need to search down the parents of Onc. Twinkle, and Phal. Ping Tung Gold.
Because I'm a curious git.

hehe
Onc Twinkle (Onc. cheirophorum x Onc. ornithorhynchum)

Oh - re: Carnival Costume - I have also read that due to the Tolu influence this plant likes to dry out between waterings.

Thank you! I'm happy to know that, the parents and the culture. I soaked it in fert/super thrive for a minute when I brought it home, will be a while before I water again.
Are Oncs picky about water sitting on their leaves like epis are?

Is Twinkle a primary hybrid?

It is a primary! Oh wow the cheirophorum is neat, I wasn't expecting something so green. The ornithorhynchum, I'm surprised the lavender didn't come through in the twinkle.

eta: I LOVE the common names!
cheirophorum: The Hand Carrying Oncidium
ornithorhynchum: The Birds Beak Oncidium

Well I have fried some Oncidium foliage by watering them outdoors in the sun on super hot days
And in cool damp weather have gotten some rot I think was from water sitting in the folds.

With it's tolu like growth I suspect the Carnival Costume is probably more forgiving - never had any issues in that regard with my tolus.

I didn't harm my Carnival Costume by watering before it was dry - but it didn't spike til I finaly made myself hold back!

And it appears that, yes, Twinkle is a primary hybrid

I....love orchid genetics. x.x

hehe

ooo - so after discussing this I looked at my Carnival Costume and it looks like a bud may be starting to open finally! :biggrin:

excitinnnggg! I can't wait till my spike goes into full bloom, it looks like it has some branches forming?

very likely - one of the spikes on mine is branching, and some of my other Oncidiums also get branching spikes

suhweet. ah! I can't contain myself! -happy dance-

hehe
though just looked at mine and looks like only a bud or two on the branch - still hopefully as the plant gets bigger it can get nicer branches

Can orchids live 20+ years? Sure would make me feel better for spending all this money. :lol:

Apparently they can :D

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...life-span.html

Yet one more awesome plant in your collection! Very nice and very happy indeed! :biggrin:

:banana: Thanks!