Unidentified orchid in a bag from Lowe's?

[itcameinwaves]

Hey y'all! I need any kind of ID for my oldest orchid friend. I've been too embarrassed to seek help before now, so don't laugh too much... I picked up this silly thing at Lowe's in 2007. It was in a mesh bag and it was like $5. The picture was neat and it was cheap, so I got it, never having had an orchid before. Tossed it in some sphagnum moss, put it out of the cat's reach and it just did its thing.

As I learned more and more about orchids, it just lived there, growing more pseudobulbs and leaves. No flowers, no spikes, nothing. Ever. As it grew, I mounted it. When its roots were strangling the cork bark, I potted it in bark. I decided it was time to try to get a flower going, so I put it with my Mtssa. Nothing happened. Couple weeks ago, put it with my mini Catt. and the increased light just turned the new growth more purple. It's time to get over my embarrassing non-knowledge and ask for help. Here's a bunch of pictures.

Pseudobulbs are very much like onions: spherical with many small roots. The leaves are like my Mtssa., but slender and from the center radiating outward (sort of like a pineapple), 4-5 leaves to each pseudobulb. Leaves have pitted brown spots on the top side despite years of bi-weekly neem oil sprays. Foliage was always deep green on the dorsal surface and deep purple on the ventral, however is growing almost completely purple in the high intensity light.

My phals, Dendrobium spp., paphs, mini Catt, all flower regularly, but not this silly one. Won't die if neglected, won't bloom if snuggled.

I still have SO much to learn and would be really grateful for your feedback!

[Leafmite]

This is a really good link as it shows the leaves and pseudobulbs of the orchid and not just the flower:

Orchid Identification

[itcameinwaves]

Goodness gracious that's wonderful! All the ID keys I've seen are centered on flowers. Try as I might, I've never seen one specifically for foliage and pseudobulbs. I'm headed there straight away! Thanks so much!

[stonedragonfarms]

I'm not sure what it is, but I'd conjecture some sort of Encyclia. At first glance it looks similar to a few of the cymbidiums, but the position of the leaves on the bulbs is "off", as are the basal nodes I believe. Sorry I can't be more help, hopefully the others will chime in.
Adam

[itcameinwaves]

Didn't work out on that one. The pseudobulbs are plump just like an onion instead of like a puffed up coin like those of oncidium. I'm positive it's not something too fancy. Perhaps Encyclia?

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[itcameinwaves]

Originally Posted by stonedragonfarms

I'm not sure what it is, but I'd conjecture some sort of Encyclia. At first glance it looks similar to a few of the cymbidiums, but the position of the leaves on the bulbs is "off", as are the basal nodes I believe. Sorry I can't be more help, hopefully the others will chime in.
Adam

I'm leaning towards Encyclia, too, and it's much smaller than my cymbidiums. I've never seen a miniature or dwarf cymbidium in person before though. I may just let it be a spoiled wild child and grow however and whatever it wants. Most days I think the orchids grow ME instead of the other way around.

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[katrina]

Looks to be an encyclia/encyclia hybrid of some sort. Many encyclia (not the formerly encyclia now Prosthechea plants) require a good deal of light to bloom. High end of catt and some can even take full sun in Ohio.

Naturally, you won't know for sure until it blooms out but my guess is that it just hasn't gotten enough light. That and maybe it wasn't large enough to bloom yet...some Encyclia can get pretty big.

FWIW - the bag baby pictures are often not the same pic as the plant that's tagged. I recently picked up a Trichocentrum from Lowe's and the pic showed a cattleya. Plus, the tag had it labeled as oncidium...which is the very old name. Don't rely on those pics to know what you're getting. Sometimes they are right but I've seen far too many that were great examples of the tribe affiliation but totally wrong for the specific plant.

[silken]

I think an Encyclia as well. Like with cordigera in it or something similar.

[itcameinwaves]

Originally Posted by katrina

Looks to be an encyclia/encyclia hybrid of some sort. Many encyclia (not the formerly encyclia now Prosthechea plants) require a good deal of light to bloom. High end of catt and some can even take full sun in Ohio.

Naturally, you won't know for sure until it blooms out but my guess is that it just hasn't gotten enough light. That and maybe it wasn't large enough to bloom yet...some Encyclia can get pretty big.

FWIW - the bag baby pictures are often not the same pic as the plant that's tagged. I recently picked up a Trichocentrum from Lowe's and the pic showed a cattleya. Plus, the tag had it labeled as oncidium...which is the very old name. Don't rely on those pics to know what you're getting. Sometimes they are right but I've seen far too many that were great examples of the tribe affiliation but totally wrong for the specific plant.

Thanks for the input, Katrina! When I picked up this little guy, I don't think I had ever grown anything but succulents so it was just like, "oh. Flower pretty picture not need much money. Flower, I now call you Francesca de Normandie and now you my new plant live with me" in my best lumbering caveman voice. Now I have a proper garden, but all my Orchidée have names... because I'm that kind of dork... I'm going to do my best to do right by Francesca de Normandie from heretofore with all the light I can find!

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[itcameinwaves]

Originally Posted by silken

I think an Encyclia as well. Like with cordigera in it or something similar.

Cordigera are immensely fascinating things. I would be so stoked if it just grew a giant pseudobulb one day!

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