Please save my orchid's life.....

[kgburt]

I will try to get a photo of what it looked like in bloom...or at least a name. Im thinking since it is in soil and there is no drainage, u r right, it is too wet. The older leaves are turning yellow and there is lots of new growth of the leaves from the bottom. This may be more of a commitment than I expected, but I wont to at least give it a go. Thanks everyone for being so patient and helping me. I will visit a nursery tomorrow and see about getting some different potting material, another container with a hole in it and replant the other plants in a different container so the orchid can have a chance. As soon as I find a photo, I will post it!

[slipperfreak]

Wow I missed a lot while I was typing that! The plant has probably lost some roots from growing in soil, but it can still probably be saved. Definitely repot it into a bark mix (without the other plants), and keep the humidity high, but install a fan to move the air around. Your plant will grow very well in high humidity but without air movement the stale air will cause fungal and bacterial infections. The light should be quite bright as well, assuming this is an Oncidium, and you'll want to let the pot dry quite a bit between waterings.

[kgburt]

You all are so helpful and amazing!! Thank you very much. Your info about where to go and what to get will help me immensely. I will do this tomorrow and get back to you!!! Im in awe of you all... Thanks again.

[kiki-do]

Hi kgburt! Welcome to OB! I'm sorry you are having such a time with your orchid. I'm totally baffled that they put an orchid amid other plants. Is the orchid in potting soil? That will kill it right there. It needs good sunlight, but not too strong. It also needs to breathe and be in it's own type medium. Yellow leaves can mean too much or too little water, however it could mean other things as well.
If it were me, I would get it out of whatever it's in now, check the roots and see what you've got (black and mushy roots are not good), and get it into orchid medium and if possible, put it in a clear orchid pot so you can keep an eye on the roots.

[kgburt]

You are right, it is an Oncidium orchid....lets see if this picture posts. Well, thats a start! Isnt it beautiful?



I hope I did this right. I would love to see these incredible flowers again. Off to Home Depot tomorrow. Thanks again.

[nenella]

That looks like an Oncidium 'Sharry Baby'

[slipperfreak]

Oh you found Matt Pedersen's site, eh? Lots of great photos and info on there. If that looks like yours, then it's an Oncidium Sharry Baby 'Sweet Fragrance'. All of the stuff I said about care applies to this plant.

A note on the name: Oncidium is the genus (the "type" of orchid), Sharry Baby is the hybrid or grex, and 'Sweet Fragrance' is the cultivar name. This particular cultivar gets mass-produced in unthinkable numbers (by meristematic tissue culture). It's a great plant, a classic.

[kgburt]

I just put in the name you game me and up it popped....exactly how mine looked before it fell into my hands!! LOL! Thank you again. Im going to try the advice you gave me and hope for a miracle!