Cheap Orchid Plants

"So how do you get a silk orchid arrangement others will envy?"

Oncidium Orchid A Special Orchid Flower


The name oncidium comes from the Greek onkos which means swelling. The Oncidium orchid has a big swelling at the lower lip, from which it derives its name. The flowers of this family of orchids come in red, pink, yellow and white and their petals are almost always found to be ruffled at the edges, as well as the lip.

Other Characteristics that Classify the Oncidium Orchid:

* It has column wings
* It has a distinct and separate callus on its lip
* It has pseudobulbs which have 1-3 leaves present
* It branches out in bracts right at the pseudobulbs base

These plants, besides being exquisitely beautiful as all orchids are, are divided into three types according to their shapes:

One type has green pseudobulbs, small flowers and a very prominent lip
Another type has tiny pseudobulbs with cylindrical shaped leaves which help the plant collect and store water. These plants flowers are bunched at the top; the sizes of the plant vary from miniatures of a few centimeters to giants of more than one meter high.
The third type, which is not very common now, is one which has no pseudobulbs. These plants have triangular leaves and very beautifully colored flowers.

Because of their capacity to store water, florists named the Oncidium orchid as the spray orchid. The plants are a bit unusual when compared to the normal style of the orchids, but this is exactly why many prefer the Oncidium orchid to others. It is easy to grow in pots and it is very resistant to change of conditions; people prefer it for home/ greenhouse growing.

The flowers of this family can vary so wildly that when put together, the beginner would not be able to say they belong to the Oncidium orchid family. While some orchids have winding bunches of flowers (sometimes as many as 20 in a bunch), others are small and singular.

The leaves of the Oncidium orchid are usually fleshy and water storing, resembling a sponge. Their height can be from a tiny miniature of 4-5 cms (which can be breathtaking with their beauty) to gigantic plants that reach heights of 5 m. One such Oncidium orchid is the Oncidium baueri which averages 5-6 m effortlessly.

While the wide variety of the Oncidium orchid makes it difficult to be recognized, it surely gives one a great deal of satisfaction knowing and growing them; here with only one family you can have the whole repertoire of plants from small to large in all colors possible. No wonder the Oncidium orchid is a hot favorite with all orchid lovers.

"Orchids are the largest and considered to be the most diverse of the flowering plant families."