Are My Orchids Oncidiums?

[Ducky87]

I am new to this site and have loved what I read so far, I recently got an orchid for Valentines day from my boyfriend, and have always wanted one. I also recently bought myself one. I have read that Oncidiums are good beggining orchids. The one plant i bought was labeled as an Oncidium orchid, but the second plant I received as a gift was not labeled. they both have the same bulbous root systems. I have attached pictures of the flowers, and a picture of the plant as a whole showing leaves and flowers.

[camille1585]

Hi, wlecome to Orchidboard!

Both of your orchids belong to the Oncidium alliance (ie, belong to that group, even though their name may not be Oncidium). I'm not too sure about your white one. It's either some sort of intergeneric, or a Miltoniopsis, coomonly known as the pansy orchid. I'm leaning towards the former.

Those bulbs are not actually part of the root system (the roots are very thin). The bulbs are actually a sort of modified stem, and hold reserves (mainly water) for the plant.

As for the ease of growing them, it completely depends on the person and the growing conditions. Some people grow them extremely easily, and then there are other people, like me, who just can't keep one alive!

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

I agree with Camille, although I would lean towards the first being an intergeneric hybrid... doesn't look quite right for a Miltoniopsis to my eye although it's close.

[Ducky87]

Thank you so much for your replies. They help me a lot, and I hope to keep them alive for as long as possible, I have been able to keep pretty much anything alive in my room for some reason it allows the perfect conditions for keeping plants alive.

My next question would be if I could use basic Oncidium care instructions for my new Orchids, or if I need to look up specific instructions for my two different Orchids.

[camille1585]

The more I look at the white flowered one, the more I think that it's an intergeneric. There's something not quite right about the bloom for it to be a miltoniopsis...
If the blooms weren't fully expanded in that pic, do you have one where they are?

[Paul Mc]

I agree wtih camille1585, there's something a little different about it from other miltoniopsis' that I've seen.

[Ducky87]

As far as I am aware, they bloom, that I showed you was fully expanded. the petals have a slight ruffle to them though.

How would you suggest caring for an intergeneric?

[camille1585]

After comparing the flower structure of your bloom with that of my currently blooming miltoniopsis, yours is definitely not a pansy orchid. So after some searching (going through each intergeneric cross) I'm pretty sure that yours is a Beallara. Beallara is an intergeneric 4 different 'types' of Oncidium. Yours is similar to Beallara Purple Haze, but yours doesn't seem to have the purplish tinge on the tip and petal tips.

As for care, I can't help you much since I only grow one of these (I grow Phals mainly) and don't want to say silly things. Others will be able to help you much better than I!

[Hedge]

I would agree, as soon as I saw this thread I thought Beallara. Another thing to check for is fragrance.

[FairyInTheFlowers]

I would say that both have Odontoglossum in their parentage. I say this because of the "teeth" that are on the lip. I also think that the first one has Tolumnia in its'parentage which contributes to the small flowers.