Oncidium? Expert help with identification - Orchid Board

Edwin Reffell · #1 11-13-2013, 10:39 AM

Is there any Oncidium, Miltonia or Miltoniopsis expert who can advise me as to what this orchid is? On the sticker it says "Orchid (no species given), half shade in the summer, sun in the winter, 18-24 C both periods, water every 5-7 days in summer, every 7-10 days in winter, fertilize every 30 days in summer, every 60 days in winter." I do not know what the flower looks like as I found this orchid tossed out on to a lawn on the way home from a walk. My apologies for complete lack of photography skill. I am using a webcam to take them and hope they are sufficient. You may have seen this identification request before in another forum where I was told it could be an Oncidium, Miltonia or Miltoniopsis or some hybrid of those species.

RandomGemini · #2 11-13-2013, 11:36 AM

We can't know until it blooms and even then, without a tag identifying it, you will never really know for sure. Oncidium Alliance is as far as we can get for now.

It's more than likely to be a hybrid.

Edwin Reffell · #3 11-13-2013, 01:20 PM

I have googled for pictures of the pseudobulbs of Oncidium, Miltonia and Miltoniopsis to see if any were identical to the one on the orchid I found. None are exactly the same as this one. It is oval and 1 leaf comes from it but the part where the leaf emerges is straight not rounded or pointed. Otherwise I think it most resembles the Oncidium pseudobulbs but it is different from the pseudobulbs on the Oncidiums I have. On them there is no space on either side of the pseudobulbs where the pseudobulbs emerge. Also they have more than 1 leaf coming from each pseudobulb. The orchid I found has 1 single leaf from its pseudobulb with spaces on either side. Would the pseudobulbs of hybrids of these orchid species differ from the non-hybrids of them? All the leaves on the unknown orchid are folded. The ones on the Oncidiums I have are all open. Could that difference also be due to the unknown orchid being an Oncidium hybrid?

RandomGemini · #4 11-13-2013, 02:04 PM

Yes... that seems normal to me actually. I have two oncidiums that are the same hybrid, Sharry Baby. Their leaf shapes are not identical. I think a lot of that has to do with the environment that these two plants were grown in. My one grown in a greenhouse by an orchid grower has these great, board straight leaves that are a beautiful apple green in color and almost knife shaped. My other one, same hybrid mind you, has darker green leaves and the leaves are more oval at the edges.

The difference between the two plants is that they came from two different growers. That's all. They're still the same hybrid.

You won't ever know what this is for sure without a tag. Oncidiums are part of a group that are referred to as inter generics. They can interbreed with a lot of other varieties. They are popular in big box stores, so hybrids are very common. Not as common as phals, I don't think, but still common enough that without a tag, you will never have a positive ID. You can narrow it down to a genera, which you have done, but identifying the exact species, if it is not a hybrid, and I do believe this is more than likely a hybrid, given that it had a care sticker on it, and no ID tag, has to wait for a bloom.

Edwin Reffell · #5 11-13-2013, 04:40 PM

Okay. I shall follow the instructions on the sticker and hope it will bloom by and by. Since I already have 2 Oncidiums (from 1 plant) I hope this unknown is a Miltoniopsis. However if it is an Oncidium hybrid I shall be happy too since I do not have any. To compensate for it not being a Miltoniopsis I may buy a Zygopelatum if I find one that is blue and not almost white. The price may scare me but not prevent me from purchase. I have no idea what a flowering Zygopelatum can cost nor where in Stockholm to find it.

RandomGemini · #6 11-13-2013, 04:45 PM

I like Zygopelatum orchids too. I don't have any yet either, but there's one I want that's green with a purple center that is supposedly very fragrant.

I do have several oncidiums though and just purchased a new oncidium today. They seem to grow pretty well for me, and the flowers are always beautiful. I haven't seen an oncidium yet that I didn't love. I think you'll find that you feel the same, if you already have a couple and love them.

POLKA · #7 11-15-2013, 07:27 AM

Hello
Miltoniopsis, in my experience, has two leaves from the top, and at least two basal leaves on each side, and can bloom from both sides.

Has it bloomed before? If it has, miltoniopsis has a bit more slender stems.

But, the color might give it away. Miltoniopsis tend to shy away from emerald green, to a lighter, and grayer green.

Hope this helps.

Like everyone else, I have to wait for the blossom to know. Miltoniopsis, like phals are seasonal bloomers in springtime.

Rex
aka POLKA

Edwin Reffell · #8 11-15-2013, 09:04 AM

Hello, My unknown orchid has shoots with several leaves but from each pseudobulb only 1 leaf has emerged. Someone threw it out, presumably because it had finished blooming. I found it on a lawn in August or September. The leaves look light green but I do not know if I would call them greyer. Please would you post or refer to pictures showing the lighter, greyer green and emerald green so I can compare them with the colour of the leaves on my unknown orchid?