Plant Size : 15Cm - 25Cm (high)

Oncidiums are popular indoor and florist orchids for a very good reason, their large sprays of flowers often sag with dozens of blooms. They have been freely hybridized. There are actually several hundred recognized oncidium species, but the naming is not stable, so there is considerable flux as experts reclassify plants.

The most common oncidium grow well under normal indoor conditions. They have large pseudobulbs (a bulbous thickened area of the stem) that come up from a mass of thin white roots. The large leaves can get up to 2 feet long and emerge from the pseudobulbs. The oncidium flowers in fall.

Light
Oncidiums are much more forgiving of bright or direct light than other popular orchids, especially the phalaenopsis. Oncidiums can handle direct morning light and even prefer bright to very bright conditions. They tend to enjoy the same light that dendrobium orchids prefer.

Water
During the growing season, water daily or every other day. Be careful, though, because drainage is an absolute priority. The potting media must be perfectly free draining. The plants can also be grown on slabs or in baskets. Because oncidiums have large, fleshy pseudobulbs and masses of roots, they are prone to rot. If you see a pseudobulb beginning to rot, cut it out with sterile snippers and reduce the amount of water. In the winter, reduce watering to bimonthly or less. They can withstand considerable drought because of their large pseudobulbs. Wrinkled pseudobulbs generally indicate a lack of water.

Fertilizer
During the growing season, feed with a weak orchid fertilizer bimonthly or scatter slow-release pellets in the growing media at the beginning of the season. Although there are many species, in general, the larger the plant, the more heavily it will feed.

Temperature
Oncidiums can be found in many habitats, from semiarid subtropical lowlands to cool and misty cloud forests. Generally, the most popular oncidiums, which feature small yellow flowers, large pseudobulbs, and strappy leaves, are intermediate to warm orchids. Do not expose them to cold drafts or temperatures below about 50 F. Even temps in the mid-50s will cause the plant to slow its growth if exposed long.

Blooming
Oncidiums are magnificent in bloom. A large, well-grown plant might yield six or seven-branched sprays of yellow flowers. The effect is very much like a cloud of buttery butterflies. The most popular species include O. leucochilum, O. longipes, O. sarcodes, O. pulchellum, as well as many hybrids. Although oncidiums are known for their yellow flowers, other varieties are available. The O. Sharry Baby is sometimes called the chocolate orchid for its sprays of brownish flowers with a rich cocoa scent.