Oncidium growth - Cut or leave?

[geedorah]

I just took over an Oncidium that has a strange stem coming off it. Should I leave it or cut? If I need to cut it where about do I cut it at?

Thank you for any help!

Because this is my first post, a picture can be found at

amelianash.org/images/0241.jpg

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Looks like an old dead flower spike. go ahead and cut it off near the base, but you don't have to get really close to the plant. With age, the remaining piece will come off easily with a slight tug, but just cut it for now. If this had been a recent spike that just finished blooming, you would cut it off with a sterilized tool. But since the tissue is clearly dead where you will cut, use any tool you wish. Cynthia

[nanhug]

I agree with Cynthia. Looks like an old flower spike do like she says and cut near base. Nancy

[jerrymeola]

how long have you had the plant. This looks very much like a new flower stem that has not opened yet.

If it is old it will be dry and hard and if it has not opened yet it will be soft. Oncidium stems can be very yellow when they first emerge.