Oncidium is a genus of herbaceous perennials of the Orchidaceae family. Distribution area Central and South America, south of Florida, Antilles.
Representatives of this genus are epiphytes, but there are varieties of lithophytes and land plants. Flowers resemble butterflies crawling out of pupae. Therefore, the oncidium is also called dancing dolls.
Varieties of oncidium and features in their care
There are more than 700 species of orchids oncidium, not including hybrid varieties.
They differ in the color of flowers and the time of their formation, the temperature of the content and a number of other features.
| View | Description | Flowers, the period of their blooming | Content temperature | |
| Summer | Winter | |||
| Papilionaceous | Yellow-green leaves with a marble pattern. Pseudobulb gives one peduncle for several years. | Red-brown, lemon-colored spots, yellow lip with brown stains. Spectacular butterfly-like with antennae. Aug. Sept. 2-3 weeks. | + 25 ... +30 ° C | + 15 ... +19 ° C |
| Lanza | Hard fleshy leaves, light green, with small coffee dots around the edges. | Olive, with small brownish-purple spots (5 cm), lip - white-pink. Pleasant aroma. September - early October. | ||
| Brindle | It grows to 1 m. 2-3 leathery leaves. | Red-brown, with a large yellow lip. In September - December for a month. | +20 ... +25 ° C | + 12 ... +16 ° C |
| Beautiful | High (up to 1.5 m). Leaves grow from a single bulb, straight and stiff. Color - deep green with a purple tint. | Bright yellow (8 cm). November December. | ||
| Winding | Long, spreading, deep green leaves. | Small yellow. September - early October. | Up to +22 ° C | + 7 ... +10 ° C |
| Warty | High (up to 1.5 m). Narrow light green leaves. Multi-flowered (up to 100 pcs). | Canary color with red-brown specks. Aug. Sept. | ||
| Sweet Sugar | Compact. From a bulb tightly pressed to each other, no more than 2 leaves grow, a bright green hue. | Golden (3 cm). January December. Twice for 2 weeks. | + 14 ... +25 ° C Feels great outdoors. | + 10 ... +22 ° C |
| Twinkle | Compact. Multi-flowered (over 100). | White, light yellow, pink, dark red (1.5 cm). Pleasant vanilla flavor. January December. Twice a year. | ||
General conditions for growing oncidium
Caring for an orchid oncidium consists in creating, if possible, an environment close to natural.
| Parameter | Conditions |
| Location | South, southeast windows. Regular airing of the room. In summer, outdoor seating. |
| Lighting | Bright scattered. Protection from direct sunlight. Year-round for 10-12 hours. In winter, backlighting with phytolamps. |
| Humidity | 50-70%. On hot days and during winter heating, carefully spray without contact with flowers. Humidification using special devices, wet expanded clay in the pan. Termination when temperature drops below +18 ° C. |
| Top dressing | With active growth after the appearance of the peduncle, fertilizer for orchids. For root - reduce the dosage by 2 times, foliar - by 10 times. Alternate, one feeding for 2-3 weeks. When opening colors, stop. |
Features of watering
Adult plant during active growth - once every 1-2 weeks. Inactive - once every 1-2 months. (check the substrate for drying - 10 cm).
Process:
- A container of warm water is prepared (slightly larger than room temperature).
- Immerse there a pot of orchid for an hour.
- They take it out of the water, let it drain and dry it.
When a new pseudobulb appears, watering is completed. When forming a peduncle (after a month), perform as usual. After flowering, before the dormant period, prune.
Landing
Orchid does not like to be disturbed. Therefore, a transplant is carried out only in the following cases: overgrowing of the flower pot, rotting of the roots, damage to the substrate. It is carried out, as a rule, after 3-4 years.
- Take soil for orchids or prepare it yourself: small fractions of pine bark, charcoal, peat chips, chopped moss-sphagnum (equal proportions).
- To prevent putrefactive phenomena, add coarse river sand, crushed chalk, crushed red brick (10%). Sterilize (steam, in the oven).
- The orchid is removed, immersed in water for 3 hours.
- Cut off all damaged roots, cut the sections with activated charcoal. Leave for a while to dry.
- Take a wide shallow plastic pot with holes. Fill it with a 1/3 drainage layer (expanded clay, pebbles), prepared with a substrate (3 cm).
- The old pseudobulb of the orchid is placed about 2 cm from the edge of the container, and the young one is directed to the center.
- Soil is added, leaving pseudobulbs sticking out by a third, cover them with moistened moss.
- Within a week, the plant is not watered.
Breeding
The oncidium orchid is propagated by two methods: using a bulb or dividing a bush.
Bulba
If the plant has six or more bulbs, 3 sprouts are separated on both sides with a sharp knife. Slices sprinkled with charcoal. Oncidium is not watered before and after (only after 7 days).
Bush division
On each side 3 sprouts are separated.
Sometimes the plant itself gives a separate young shoot, it is simply disconnected from the mother plant.
Mistakes and their solution, diseases, pests
Orchid can get sick if you do not follow the basic rules of care.
| Manifestations on the leaves, etc. | Cause | Decision |
| Decay. | Waterlogging. An excess of moisture has accumulated at the growth point and inside the leaf walls. | Normalize watering. |
| The formation of brown spots. | Bacterial or fungal infection. | Damaged parts are removed, charcoal cuts are treated. Increase the frequency of watering. Ventilate the room. |
| Puckering, including bulbs, drying of the tips. | Lack of watering, dry air. | Create a wetter existence. |
| The appearance of white spots, also on the flowers. | Excess fertilizer. | Correct feeding. |
| Yellowing and falling of flowers. | Bright sun. | Obscure. |
| The appearance of mold, brown roots, mucus, moisture on the foliage and base. | Root rot. | Affected areas are removed. Slices are processed. The plant is transplanted, periodically watered with foundationazole. |
| The formation of white watery spots, including on new bulbs. | Bacterial rot. | The affected parts are cut, treated with Bordeaux fluid. After 3 weeks, repeat. |
| Covering the bulb with a waxy coating, cotton white formations. | Mealybug. | Apply soap foam from laundry soap for 1 hour. Spray with the drug Actar, close the plant with a package for 3 days. |
| Blanching of the back, the appearance of cobwebs. | Spider mite. | Smear a soap-alcohol solution. After 30 minutes, spill plentifully and spray, put on the bag. Processed by Actellik, Actar. |
