Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Oncidium nudum

Oncidium nudum - Flower photo by Richard LindbergOncidium nudum - Plant photo by Richard LindbergWhen I started maintaining this collection a year ago, this is one of the first plants that got my attention. It had been attacked by some rodent. In spite of that it put out a small spike.

Oncidium nudum grows in northern South America in hot, humid wetlands. It blooms in winter and has an inflorescence that extends almost two feet.

Orchids bloom if they are happy but also when they think they need to use all their remaining energy to continue the species. As soon as I was able to take the flower picture I cut it off and remounted it. I should have cut the spike as soon as I saw it.

The two pseudobulbs on the right are new this year. They are not as thick as the older ones but they are a paler green, so I know I am getting the lighting more to its liking.

Posted by Richard Lindberg at 7:43 AM
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4 comments:

  1. I love the terete leaved Oncidiums. But they seem hard to find. Most growers don't grow them.
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  2. This is the only one in the collection and my first experience with them. The greenhouse should work for them. It is just a notch warmer than intermediate and watering is manual so I have good control there. We are watering every 2 days for the wettest plants.
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  3. Good luck with it. I let the only species I had get too dry last winter and it died. I think they like more water than other Oncidium due to the lack of a large pseudo-bulb.
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  4. You are probably right. It grows in low elevation wetlands in South America where it likely is never dry.
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