Weird Orchids

[orchidaddict789]

In stores, I keep seeing these oncidiums (and intergenerics) with amazing huge, healthy spikes full of flowers, but with only 2 pbulbs. Usually two regular sized pbulbs, sometimes one small backbulb and one large pbulb, and I even saw a one-pbulb onc with two spikes. Seriously, one pbulb! Almost none of these have new growths. But huge spikes.

Are these divisions or something? I don't get it! I'm not used to seeing these strange oncs--1-2 pbulbs doesn't sound like a safe number.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Most of the ones I've seen have one very large bulb, one quite small bulb, and one tiny bulb (or perhaps a set of 4 bulbs with similar size changes). What this is, is a plant that is blooming 3 or 4 years out of flask. It used to be said that it took 7 years to bloom an orchid, 6 out of flask. The commercial growers have this down to a system. You and I are not likely to grow these nearly so well, and will need to still allow 3 bulbs per division, but I don't think there is any thing to worry about with only one big bulb. There will often be a set back anyway because the plant is having to adjust to less than perfect conditions when you take the plant home. So, just be a little patient when you get a plant like this, and don't expect it to bloom quite as good on your first rebloom as it did for the commercial grower. It will eventually catch up when the plant gets a little bigger. You would be very surprised at the cocktail of chemicals the commercial growers use to get the plants to market in the shortest possible time with the most flower spikes. Cynthia

[jerrymeola]

Cynthia is right.

In addition, many of these plants are amazingly sturdy. I have devided intergenerics down to one or two pbulbs and losses are almost non-existent. Everything seems to grow well.

I even have one (an accident) that is almost without roots (4 air roots three inches long), only one pbulb and mounted bare root. It is in bud and doing very well.

These plants grow very fast and it is possible to buy quite large plants at a resonable price. The small plants may not be as good a deal as you can get if you shop around a little.

[orchidaddict789]

I just got an odcm. wildcat. It didn't have the largest spike but it got 2 pbulbs and a fair-sized new growth. I got it over two weeks ago in bud, but only the oldest half of the dozen buds are getting plump (the biggest bloomed today!). The other six buds have not changed in size since the day I got the plant. Today I noticed them shriveling/yellowing. Too bad they're going...


If it was bud blast from the trip home then the buds should have blasted two weeks ago. I suppose such a young plant can't support all those flowers, especially in a less than perfect environment in my home. Thanks for the help--I'm going to grow it no matter what!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Changing environments can be stressful, not just the trip home, and some get more stressed than others. Give the plant time to adjust to your conditions and the plant will do OK. Cynthia

[janet_a]

my housemate got me a vuyl for my b'day a few yrs back; it came into the house and the bulbs immediately shrivelled up, but it kept growing new ones. it's now blooming for the third year with big fat bulbs and almost no accordion leaves; i think it just took it this long to adjust to my less than ideal conditions.

meanwhile i got a hwra last year at the AOS; brought it home, it shrivelled, and then grew a new pbulb and bloomed two spikes off it while immature. it's growing another pbulb. again, i think they just take a while to acclimate.

persevere.