Just bought a Brassia Rex "lea"

[chefatplay]

I just came back from visiting the McKee Gardens Orchid show. Thoroughly enjoyed it. While I had told myself, "only phals until you get more experience", lo and behold there was a beautiful orchid on display at the competition area. So while meandering among the vendors I found the orchid.

The vendor said the care is very similiar to the phal, except this one needs more light. I now have it in an east window. Please, how do I care for this? It is in a 6 inch pot, but you can see it is very large. Do I water it the same way as the phal? I put a bamboo skewer in it. It has 3 stalks ready to bloom any day. I believe it is an oncidium? Is that correct? It is very good looking now, I hope to keep it that way. Thanks in advance for your help! PS: the second picture is my second phal, bought last Sunday.

[chefatplay]

So sorry, I forgot to upload the pics after browsing and finding them. Hope to hear from you all soon! Beautiful day here in Florida.

[pikevi]

I cannot help you since I am new to orchid growing.

Just wanted to say they look so beautiful.

Good luck with them.

[Aniko]

A first choice, for care - until you find others:
http://www.kauaiorchids.com/ko/culture.asp?key=brassia

Good luck!

[chefatplay]

Thank you, Pikevi, I will try my best to make them stay beautiful. I will put a picture out when the spider orchid blossoms.

Aniko- Thank you! That is the info I was looking for until our more knowlegable friends here can give me more advice.

I love this site. I feel I will be successful because I have found all of you.

[chefatplay]

I have attached some more pictures of the psbulbs, I think they are called. Does everything look healthy? Does this look like an orchid that will need to be repotted later this spring?

[Aniko]

First of all your brassia is very good looking, healthy plant.
I have no brassia, only oncidium, miltassia and degarmoara, so I did some extra research to see if there is something special to know about its care.
It seems that the cultural requirements are similar: a lot of bright light, shaded from the midday burning sun. If gets less light, will be fine but will not boom again.Needs a lot of water than let almost dry between watering. Nice plump pseudo-bulbs are sign of well hydration, if they start shriveling the plant need more water.The old ps.bulbs are already wrinkled, this is OK - the natural aging process.
When the blooming period is over you can think about re-potting.The best time is when the new growth(s) starts to develop roots.Choose a slightly bigger pot and place the plant not in the middle but aside, living room for the next growths.
Other related links:
http://www.hawaiitropicals.com/noname22.html


http://www.hawaiitropicals.com/oncarin.html

[jerrymeola]

Brassia, the spider orchids, are in the Oncidium alliance and care is much the same as other Oncidium.

If you are comfortable with the skewer method of watering stay with it. The orchid does to have any unique watering requirements. It will be OK if it dries out between waterings, whereas the Phal does not like to dry out, but it is not necessary to totally dry the Brassia.

Al Oncidium like good air circulation and avoid high temperatures. The leaves look poor when grown over 80 degrees.

For those who do not know the orchid it is a 6 inch flower often more yellow then this one.

[chefatplay]

Thank you so much Aniko and Jerry. Seeing that picture again gets me excited to have my buds open. Can't wait to share the pics with you.
Boy, this is fun! (PLeease God let them bloom again next year!)