Common names: Dancing dolls

Colour: yellow


Oncidiums, commonly, referred to as dancing dolls, are easy to grow and are over 750 species and have thousands of hybrids. These dainty yellow and brown, or white and brown flowers are suitable if used alone or in combination with other orchids.

The blooms resembles a girl, in full ruffled skirts, tiny hands and hats. When they are in a breeze, it looks like they are dancing. The flower spikes can grow over four feet in height and can be covered with hundreds of blooms.

Each bloom will last only a couple of weeks but, with many species, the flower spikes are so long that it could take weeks for all the blooms to open. They come in many shades of colors and have flowers that can be solid in color, spotted or barred.

Oncidiums are not hard to grow, but their culture will vary according to the species. Some of them like to be grown mounted on cork bark instead of planted in a pot. They like plenty of bright light and the roots need to have a dry period between watering.
They require good air movement and humidity between 40% and 60%. Watering should always be done in the morning to ensure total evaporation from the leaves by nightfall.
Be sure to allow the plants to become totally dry between watering.