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I've had these orchids for several years and they have never bloomed. I have left them in pots until they have grown out of them, then repotted. Now I have almost a dozen. I've given them more light and less light. Every winter I protect them but if they are never going to bloom, I don't see the point. Currently the are outside under shade cloth. Any idea what they are and what I should do with them.

Comments (6)

  • 13 years ago

    They look like some sort of Oncidium. Your zone is 9, where do you live?

    Since they look healthy, here's a couple of guesses. First they are over potted. These plants like tight roots. In Spring, repot into smaller pots. Cut or pull off any dead bulbs and put in small pots.
    The second guess would be temperatures. Your climate might be too warm.

    The sunlight looks good, so I'm guessing, pots too big and temps too warm.

    Jane

  • 13 years ago

    I think you are right that it is a type of Oncidium. Mostly all pictures of orchids are their beautiful flowers and not the plant. As you can see, I pot them on the edge and they grow across the pots and out the other side. That's when I have repotted them giving me so many plants. I'm west of Daytona so maybe it's too hot for them. I didn't think it could be too hot for orchids. Could you also tell me what this orchid is? I have also had it several years and it blooms a purple flower annually.

  • 13 years ago

    Hard to say, might be something from the Laeliinae Sub-Tribe.
    Does it look anything like some of the photos in the link.
    Many species and tens of thousands of hybrids make id's difficult.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Laeliinae Hybrid set of photos

  • 13 years ago

    Do you fertilize? Try not to divide the plants for 2 years and see if you get flowers. Without seeing the flower, I have no idea what it could look like.

    If your plants have not flowered at all, something is obviously wrong. I would change their growing conditions. Don't continue what you are doing because you are not getting flowers. Move them to a different location. Fertilize, or if you are, change the fertilizer to a lower N. fertilizer.

    You have nothing to lose.

    If you can give more details on your growing conditions, light exposure (N,E,S,W), watering and fertilizing, it would help.

    I feel for you, it might be some minor tweeking although those plants are usually fairly easy to flower.

    Jane

    Here is a link that might be useful: Oncidiums

  • 13 years ago

    Thanks for the responses. I have grown them inside in a eastern window. The next year western window. Then under a low light oak.Next a high light oak so they got early morning and late afternoon sun. Now they are under shadecloth getting noon to late day sun. I have Mirical Gro 3 month food on them and occationally use an orchid mix. With all the rain lately, I don't want to water any more than necessary. The plants all look very healthy. Just not enough to bloom I guess. I haven't repotted in a couple years.

  • 13 years ago

    Why have you divided them if there is no bloom? I have an Oncidium sphacellatum which was huge before it finally bloomed for the first time. Now it is more than huge but blooms beautifully every spring. Smaller pots maybe but if the plant is spilling out of the pot, the pot has little to do with the welfare of the plant which has elected to live ouotside the pot. Leave it alone, let it grow bare-root as it is doing outside the pot and let it get big.

    Many Oncidiums from Mexico etc experience a dry winter, reduce watering in the winter, let it get cold and then give it maximum light during the spring. Mine grow outside, down to 32 in the winter and only the natural rain of SOCAL with very little watering. Lots of water in the spring and that's when they bloom.

    Personally I would hang the pot and let the plant ramble along..

    Nick

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