Hello and please help identify

[bigjohn]

Hi,

My girlfriend bought an orchid last week from a garden centre here in the UK. Unfortunately the card doesn't say what it is. It's sort of helpful in that it says to water once a week, feed once a month and not to eat it

It's not like here other one which sits in a pot of bark and I think is one of those that grows on trees. This one is in finer, almost compost like soil.

I'd like to know if that's best for it and if the instructions are correct. Any other advice on looking after it gratefully received. We know very little. Thanks!

[DeaC]

Hi John. Appears to be a Oncidium-type. They have fine roots which require water just as medium begins to dry. Dryness will likely produce wrinkled leaves that won't un-wrinkle but new will look normal. Bright light,no full sun and room temp. That open window also gives a much appreciated breeze. Looks like the medium is fine bark? Very nice plant.

[estación seca]

Agree with DeaC. Epiphytes always need air at the roots or they suffocate. Loose potting medium is used to ensure roots are well aerated.

Check for dryness with a wooden skewer or chopstick inserted into the medium away from the plant. Leave it for 15 minutes, then pull out to see whether there is water remaining. Water when the top 2-3" / 5-7.5cm are dry.

When you water, take the plant in the pot out of the outer decorative container and water it in the sink. Let it drain well for 15-30 minutes before putting it back in the outer container.

Do some reading in the Oncidium forum here, accessible from Forums in the left yellow menu.

[bigjohn]

Thank you(s) very much

Extremely helpful. I shall do some further reading.

[estación seca]

Oh... After reading more here, don't be tempted to repot right away. I couldn't see it well on my phone, but seeing it on the desktop I agree with you that it appears to be potted in a very coarse potting soil mix. That's not what most people use but it obviously works well for that commercial grower. If you water properly it will do fine. In that kind of medium it will require watering much less frequently than if potted in bark, which is how most people pot them.

Oncidiums do use a lot of water; watering interval depends on the size of the plant, ambient temperatures and humidity. If you use the skewer method you will be fine. As DeaC mentioned if you see horizontal pleating on leaves it isn't getting enough water; if this happens, shorten the watering interval.

Oncidiums have a natural growth cycle of new growth - new roots from new growth - flowering from the new growth - repeat. Many of the hybrids will remain in growth through the year if temperatures and light are adequate.

The time to repot is when the new roots are just emerging. If you figure out watering in that pot and that medium you won't need to repot for a year or two, when it will be outgrowing the pot. Repotting Oncidiums during budding or flowering usually causes loss of flowers, so I wouldn't do that.

Phalaenopsis orchids are different; they don't mind repotting at any time roots are growing, not even when in bud or flower. But Oncidiums thrive in average home temperatures. Many people are successful with Phals in homes but they do like being a little warmer in winter. Most people begin with a Phal. but I think Oncidiums are better first orchids.

[ArronOB]

I doubt the plant was grown in that media. I think a lot of these plants are imported bare rooted, potted up into whatever is cheap and then sold off in volume, usually via hardware stores and garden centres. It’s a bit unscrupulous but then vendors don’t really care and they know that survivability of flowering orchids sold to the general public is very low so it probably doesn’t matter much - they are basically selling cut flowers.

The best medium for their needs is one that can survive the neglect the plant will probably receive in a hardware store - so it’s better to pot in someth8ng that doesn’t dry out then to go for long term survivability.

I would repot it immediately the flowering ceases. They are not very long lived flowers so that will be in a week or two.

Do a Google on Burrageara Nelly Isler and have a read on care. It may not be exactly Nellie Isler but it’s one of several similar and requirements do not vary much.

[estación seca]

Oncidiums in spike/flower can't be bare-rooted and have flowers survive reliably. This plant was grown in that medium. Most English mass market orchids probably come from the Netherlands or the Canary Islands and are not imported bare-root.

In years past I have seen Zygopetalums and Oncidium hybrids in such media here in the US. They do fine if watered appropriately. Most non-orchid growers will underwater Oncidiums potted in bark when they are in flower, which I think is why this kind of medium is used. Also it allows the grower to water less frequently, which means lower labor costs.

[Diane56Victor]

I think Arron could be right about the name, take a look at the variety of Nelly Isler called Burrageara Nelly Isler 'Swiss Beauty' from what I can see in your photo your plant has a similar lip pattern.