Burrageara nelly isler

[Franco24]

Thanks guys. If you look at the pictures closely ... There are two more spikes on the plant just coming into bud. Still no scent yet! Im checking multiple times a day ....

[Susie11]

It took about a week for mine to begin to smell. More spikes to come eh? lucky you.

[Rowangreen]

Susie, see you are in London. Are you going to the British Orchid Society meeting on Saturday?

(If you do, be careful about buying plants... I now have two Bur's from there: my Nelly has turned out to have mealies (only one fingers crossed, they seem to have originated on another plant I bought in the same batch last month sigh. Hopefully the spike will survive treatment) and my 'Living Fire' is hopefully now free of scale...). Still worth going though, and I have got some fabulous plants there!

[Susie11]

No I am not going -unfortunately. I wish I was but I can't get there. I am sorry to hear about the mealies. I have had them on two plants and a great way of getting rid of them is to paint them with meths. It works everytime and they never come back. I had a Besseae var flavum from Plested and it had them on it. I almost died from the shock of seeing them there on my beautiful phrag but, as I said they were easily got rid of.

[Rowangreen]

I hope so! I've had what I think were mealies before: fluffy bits on some oncidium buds. I just soaked the plant in soapy water and repotted and no more problems. But these are monsters! I think they are two tailed mealies. I've seen pictures before and thought they were blown up, but it turns out they weren't! The first one I spotted must have been a cm long. I'm still working myself up to really getting down to finding and squishing all the adults, they really make me shudder. Hopefully wash and spray and repot the most infected tomorrow, and same for the ones that have been in the same area on Saturday.

[NYCorchidman]

Hmmmm I just saw this orchid at a store today. I was told it's a difficult one (I know that is a relative term) so never bought one.
I didn't even know it's fragrant. Now I'm really tempted. hehe

[Franco24]

Go for it! My plant just dropped the last flower and I just cut the spikes today. That's almost a month and a half in bloom! I moved my plant outdoors and keep it moist - its putting out new growth just fine. Im even contemplating on moving it over to S/H.

At first didn't detect any scent when growing indoors - but once outside with the sun shining the fragrance was heavenly.

Definitely my favorite of all plants in the oncidium alliance. And probably in my top ten of favorite plants (that says a lot growing mostly species an having a collection over 200)!

Go get it! Keep it moist (mine is currently potted in a mix of bark, charcoal and sphag) and moderate lighting along with cooler temperatures - it'll do just fine.

[Leafmite]

Burr. Nelly Isler is actually an easy and rewarding orchid to grow. If you can grow an oncidium, you can grow this. I would definitely pick one up! I did when I saw it at an orchid show!

[Susie11]

NYCorchidman, I agree with the other posters. I have found it very easy to grow. It is already working on another three new leads so I shall soon have some more blooms to admire. The smell is Heavenly!!

[NYCorchidman]

Ok, I will have to go back to the store downtown then. I think they had two, so I'm not sure how lucky I will be though.

I have lots of oncidium types, most of which I find very easy to grow. I guess I will be fine with this one then.

Thanks, everyone!