The genus Oncidium contains a large variety of both foliage and flower types. The most common oncidiums are called dancing lady orchids because their flowers look like a lady with a skirt(the labellum or lip)and arms and head (the petals). The foliage on the dancing ladies can look grassy, like mule ears, have flat squatty turtle shell like pseudobulbs (water storage organ) at the base, stiff 3-sided and succulent (equitants), and other various forms and patterns. Flowers also can be other colors, including red, white, brown, pink, orange, and other colors.
Generally, oncidiums can be grown much like cattleyas, although there are some exceptions. The equitants are miniature, fan-shaped plants that like about one-half day drying cycle where they get wet and then dry out within a half day. These do best mounted with minimal starting material around the roots or in small clay pot in a porous and long-lasting medium, such as hard wood charcoal. Other groups like a decided dry period when they are resting, such as Onc. ampliatum (the turtle shell oncidium). Others, like Onc. Sharry Baby 'Sweet Fragrance' AM/AOS, love moisture and will produce crinkled leaves or black spots on the leaves if allowed to dry out too much.
Most oncidiums are good growers and easy to grow and bloom in the house at a sunny window. We have several species and hybrids offered in our catalog.
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