DANCING LADIES & OTHER ORCHIDS THAT LOVE OUR SUMMER HOUSTON CLIMATE!
By Elizabeth Fisher | Houston Orchid Society
The Oncidium group of orchids is one of my favorites to grow. Flower sprays (multiple) last about a month and wonderful fragrances are easy to find.
Sometimes referred to as Dancing Ladies, many oncidiums love our Houston climate, making them easy to grow.
They have pseudo-bulbs at the base (see photo left above). Some ocidiums are very small (about 6 inches); some over 3 feet with flower sprays.
They prefer brighter light than a phalaenopsis. Some can even handle a little direct light in mornings or evenings. They don’t like to get colder than 55 F at night but can tolerate up to 100 F during the day good air circulation and humidity (30-60%).
Grow oncidiums under a tree or on a patio during spring, summer and fall with minimum direct light, good air circulation and good watering practices. Oncidiums like to almost completely dry out between waterings. I usually pot mine in bark mixture and water twice a week in the summer, less than once a week in the winter. I fertilize “weakly weekly.” They stay in the greenhouse during winter (if no greenhouse – bring in the house). I usually repot oncidiums every two to four years.
- Oncidium ‘Sharry Baby’ – one of the most famous because it smells like chocolate and who doesn’t love that.
- Tolumnia – wonderful small plants if you don’t have a lot of space and I like the color of ‘Alameda Beth’.
- Oncidium Irish Mist ‘Wintergreen’ – nice medium sized plant with lovely light yellow green color with white on the lip (or the skirt of the dancing lady). ‘Sweet Sugar’ is a very pretty yellow.
- Odcdm. Wild Willie ‘Wonka’ is a medium sized plant with a nice white and purple lip (skirt).
- Trichocentrum ‘Luridum’ x Trichocentrum ‘Cavendishianum’ (my favorite in the greenhouse) – takes up about two feet. Flower spikes are at least two feet long with beautiful brownish-yellow flowers.
If you don’t have a lot of space I would get a tolumnia in a color that you like. If you can go for a larger plant I would pick a fragrant oncidium.
