My new Oncidium. two different names!

[Khayael]

I'm kind of disapointed. I bought this new oncidium from one of those big-box stores hehe ;p
I had two options and I took the one with only two pseudobulbs instead of the one with four or more, why? because it has a spike... I couldn't believe my eyes! lol
The problem is that when I open the bag, then the net that was inside, I found that the name on the tag ("Heaven Scent Sweet Pea") was different than the name on the picture ("Sharry baby" var. aureum.)
Anyway!... Now I have to wait and see which blooms I'm gonna get!
Here are some pics.

Now, this is the older pseudobulb. It has only one leaf on the top and a tiny thing that looks like a new leaf growing. Can leafless pseudobulbs grow new leaves?

[kiwiorchids]

Nope, leafless pbulbs will not grow new leaves, because they are old. They are just storage organs for food. They may grow new pbulbs from their bases though. As for the name, pretty much, if it has a rich chocolate/vanilla scent, it is sharry baby. Gotta be careful buying them from those big stores, we dont even get so much as a name on the phals here!

[Khayael]

Thanks Jordan!
Btw! should I wait after it finishes blooming (if any) to repot it? the growing medium is sphagnum moss...!

[kiwiorchids]

Sphag is best for oncidiums i find. It reqires less watering for starters, and the onc alliance likes it moist. It also has natural sterility properties, so if you can get it growing (like live moss) it limits bacterial/fungal growths.

[kiwiorchids]

Plus, it looks as if it quite enjoys the sphag its in Its a healthy little bugga!

[Brutal_Dreamer]

If this was my orchid, I would repot in something other than sphag simply because I would drown the plant and rot the roots in no time. Plus, with sphag you will need to remember that it collects fertilizer salts very quickly which can burn the orchids roots. To avoid this, rinse the medium very well the next watering after fertilizing. Sometimes new growers water their orchids like house plants and forget that orchids with pseudobulbs like to dry out between waterings. Since this oncidium has pseudobulbs, it will hold/ retain water and 'food' for the plant and its roots will need to dry off between receiving water for gas exchange.

And yes, I too agree with Jordan about the leafless psueudobulb. It will not grow additional leaves if it is an older bulb, but it continues to provide nurishment to the newly developing growth. And, the new growth is the only growth that will spike and flower.

cheers,
BD

[Khayael]

If this was my orchid, I would repot in something other than sphag simply because I would drown the plant and rot the roots in no time.

Well, I want to repot it using bark mix, the spike doesn't have flower buds forming yet or not visible, and I read on someone's post that he or she repotted oncidiums when in spike succesfully. would you repot this plant right now Bruce? I want to repot it soon. thanks!

[kiwiorchids]

Well, I want to repot it using bark mix, the spike doesn't have flower buds forming yet or not visible, and I read on someone's post that he or she repotted oncidiums when in spike succesfully. would you repot this plant right now Bruce? I want to repot it soon. thanks!

Oncidiums are hardy little buggers, i would give it a go. Use a small grade bark though, i find oncidium roots are fine-ish and generally, the thinner the roots, the smaller the grade of the bark. You could also try vermiculite, for starters, its cheap, it works the same way as bark and is nice and small.....whats your opinion Bruce?

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Oncidiums are hardy little buggers, i would give it a go. Use a small grade bark though, i find oncidium roots are fine-ish and generally, the thinner the roots, the smaller the grade of the bark. You could also try vermiculite, for starters, its cheap, it works the same way as bark and is nice and small.....whats your opinion Bruce?

I would not use vermiculite as it compacts when it drys out and that would cut off air to the roots. I would however as Jordan mentions use a smaller bark mixture for the fine oncidium roots.

cheers,
BD

[Khayael]

Thank you guys!