How do I cut stem of Oncidium Incurvum after flowering? - Orchid Board

schurch · #1 06-15-2009, 06:19 PM

Hello, A few months ago I bought a lovely orchid which I now know to be an Oncidium Incurvum. It has one long stem with four arms/stems coming off the main stem, these and the top of main stem produced beautiful flowers for about 7-8 weeks. The last flowers dropped off about 4 weeks ago. Please could you advise me whether to encourage re-flowering I should cut each of the 4 shorter stems back or do I cut the large longer main stem back? There were about 10 flowers at top of main stem and each branch below had about 4-5 flowers. It is almost 60cm tall at present. I've only ever had moth orchids before and have cut them back with successful re-flowering but Im not sure what to do with this new one.

Many thanks, Stephanie

Maybe I should add that I live in Glasgow, Scotland and bought the plant already in flower from a florists in about March this year, so it has flowered through our spring, and its now the start of summer here.

Chiral224 · #2 06-16-2009, 05:23 AM

Actually, I'd love an answer to this too. I have one main stem that has lost its flowers and I'm feeling the urge to cut it...but should I/we?

camille1585 · #3 06-16-2009, 05:29 AM

Oncs are not like phals, partially cutting back the stem will not make the spike produce new blooms. Oncs only bloom once off a spike, so once it's done blooming it can be cut off at the base. I usually let them turn brown before cutting them off.

Stephanie, you are lucky to have a florist that sells species orchids! Usually they only sell hybrids. Just as a comment, when you write out the name of a species, conventions say that the second part of the name must ne all lower case. So you would write incurvatum with a lowercase 'i'> Do you have any photos of your plant in bloom?

schurch · #4 06-16-2009, 07:29 PM

Hi Camille, Thanks so much for your reply. Please can I clarify however...are you saying that I should cut the whole stem back which would include all 4 branches too? How much stem should I leave if any? 1-2 inches? Will my plant then grow a new stem and then re-flower? I'm terrified to cut it, so just wanted to double check.

I do have a couple of photos of it in bloom and will post as soon as I can. I also bought (from the same florist) a beautiful orchid yesterday which looks like a different type again. Its exquisite and beautifully planted and arranged. I am very lucky indeed to have such a wonderful florist at the end of my street...you can see some of their flowers online at floralhaven.co.uk tho' the website doesnt do the shop justice. Their shop is like a floral art display, simply amazing.

Chiral224 · #5 06-16-2009, 07:47 PM

That is amazing! I live in a thriving metropolis and I cant find anything but mediocre phals...occasionally I am surpised by a nice one

but never any other species...sigh...

camille1585 · #6 06-17-2009, 02:49 AM

The spike can be cut off as close to the base as possible without damaging the bulb. Usually that means leaving about an inch. I usually wait until the spike starts to turn brown, so that all it's energy has drained back to the plant. Oncidium type plants only bloom once per bulb (either one or two spikes - one on each side of the bulb). You will get new spikes once your plant develops new growths. Depending on the plants, sometimes spikes will appear on an immature growth (bulb just starting to appear) and on other plants the spike appears on fully mature bulbs.
Until then, keep your plant in a window that gets plenty of bright diffused light, and they can tolerate direct sun in the morning and late afternoon if you gradually get it used to the sun. Fertilize regularily with orchid food.

ChasWG · #7 07-09-2009, 10:05 PM

Camille, That's not totally true. I have an Onc. 'Carnival Costume' that is right now on it's second set of blooms on the same stalk. I bought the plant while one of it's three stalks were in bloom. Now the second stalk has it's blooms fading and the fist stalk has one new bud open with another one opening soon. The third stalk has yet to open any. And this plant is also growing new roots and a new pbulb with leaves.

Kind of crazy huh?

I also read somewhere in this forum that another member has a different Onc. that does the same thing as mine. So not all Oncs. are created equal.

WhiteRabbit · #8 07-09-2009, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChasWG

Camille, That's not totally true. I have an Onc. 'Carnival Costume' that is right now on it's second set of blooms on the same stalk. I bought the plant while one of it's three stalks were in bloom. Now the second stalk has it's blooms fading and the fist stalk has one new bud open with another one opening soon. The third stalk has yet to open any. And this plant is also growing new roots and a new pbulb with leaves.

Kind of crazy huh?

I also read somewhere in this forum that another member has a different Onc. that does the same thing as mine. So not all Oncs. are created equal.

well apparently the carnival costume has tolumnia in it - and its growth looks like a tolumnia more than an oncidium - tolus can rebloom from old spikes

ChasWG · #9 07-09-2009, 10:40 PM

Ohhhhhh, good to know!

Thanks!

WhiteRabbit · #10 07-09-2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChasWG

Ohhhhhh, good to know!

Thanks!

np