The oncidium tsiku marguerite is also known as the dancing lady due to its fragile yet beautiful structure. Another name used commonly is “the romantic fantasy”. It is an epiphyte and is native to tropical regions. It is quite easy to take care of therefore it’s one of the best choices for beginners.
Oncidium tsiku marguerite blooms profusely and gives small, beautifully scented, and powder pink flowers. Their scent adds a very fresh vibe to your home. Its attractive flowers and fast-growing property have made this plant quite popular among planters.
Another property that might catch your attention is that it can survive through extreme temperatures, exposure to direct sunlight, and overwatering as well. If you are still with us you might want to read and know further about this plant.
Oncidium Tsiku Marguerite classification
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: oncidium
Species: tsiku
Oncidium Genus:
The Oncidium genus has about 330 different species. It belongs to the massive Orchidaceae family and most of the plants are epiphytes. The genus Oncidium mostly has flowering and blooming plants therefore it’s mainly used as ornamental plants. This genus can survive equally well both indoors and outdoors.
Origin
The evergreen oncidium tsiku marguerite plant is native to Central America, South America, Mexico, and the west indies.
Features of Oncidium Tsiku Marguerite Plant
This evergreen plant can practically live and survive in any nook or corner of your home. If you are lazy, it won’t ask for a great deal of attention or effort. The qualities of this blooming beauty are explained ahead,
Size
As already mentioned it is an epiphytic plant and therefore it has aerial roots. This plant can grow up to ten to twelve inches tall. Most of this height is contributed by the long stalks of the flowers. Moreover, they grow at a very fast pace and achieve their full height in no time.
Flowers
The flowers are quite a characteristic part of any plant. The flowers on the oncidium tsiku marguerite plant are a pop of freshness and color in any corner they are placed in. They are powder pink with a tinge of yellow in their centers. These flowers bloom in clusters and on long stalks which adds to the aesthetic sense of any room.
A beautiful and soft scent will take over you whenever you walk into your apartment after planting the tsiku marguerite plant. These flowers bloom all around the year and are 1 to 2 cm in size.
Stem
This tropical beauty has long, lush green leaves which emerge directly from the base. Its foliage is evergreen and never loses its charisma. The stem is not very prominent in this plant.
Dormancy
It becomes dormant in the winter months because it is not resistant to cold, chilly environments. This plant will not need to be watered in this state. So you can sit back and relax in those months when your plant is not growing. It will be better to fertilize it once a month even in winters.
Pest control
The striking property of this plant is that it is not susceptible to any pests. Anyhow if some aphids or scales damage your plant leaves, you can rub neem oil on them. This technique will make your plant pest-free once again.
Toxicity
This is good news to all pet owners who want to design their homes and living space. This beauty is not toxic to any pets or humans. Therefore feel free to keep it in your home even if you have pets or toddlers.
Growth and Maintenance
All the lazy People out there are blessed to know about the oncidium tsiku marguerite plant. It requires little to no effort even though most orchids are not like that. Moreover, it can also survive harsh conditions. But the ideal conditions can help this plant achieve its height in about a year. It grows at quite a fast pace and you’ll not have to wait a long time to see them bloom.
Oncidium Tsiku Marguerite Care
Although it does not require a lot of maintenance, you still need to be a bit careful. Some effort is needed to see the colorful bloom. All the requirements are listed down below in the form of a quick guide.
Quick guide:
Water: Only when the soil is dry,
Sunlight: Bright, indirect light,
Temperature: Flourishes in warm temperatures,
Humidity: Moderate humidity,
Soil: Free-draining soil,
Fertilizer: Fertilization is required in months of active growth.
Now to explain all the above-mentioned requirements in complete detail.
Water requirements
Watering the oncidium tsiku marguerite plant mainly depends upon the season. If it’s summer and the weather is warm then you’ll need to water it frequently. The frequency can go up to once every two days. If it’s winter then you can relax as you’ll have to decrease your watering frequency. In winters you will only need to water it once every ten days.
The other important information about watering this plant is to make sure the soil is dry before watering. The rule is to only water it when the above layer of the soil is dry to touch. The pot which homes this plant should have draining holes so that you can know when you are overwatering it. It will be much better if you use lukewarm water for this plant.
Sunlight requirements
Bright, indirect light is required for the optimal growth and development of this plant. Although as already said it can survive in harsh conditions. But you should take care of exposure to sunlight for its rapid growth. Otherwise, the growth will be stunted and you will not get good results.
If you are placing your oncidium tsiku marguerite plant outdoors be careful to not put it directly under the sun. Make sure it is placed in the right way to avoid getting its leaves burned by the sun. If you are placing your plant indoors any window sill will work fine. Change its place if you feel the growth is not at the normal pace.
Temperature requirements
As you know until now that this plant is native to tropical regions so it loves a bit warmer temperatures. The optimal temperature for proper growth is 24 to 26 degrees Celsius.
If you plan to grow this beauty and you live in cold regions you’ll have to install a heater or move this plant to a greenhouse. Cold regions and chilly temperatures will give an injury to this plant and eventually it will die.
If you live in warmer regions, growing this evergreen epiphyte will not be a problem. Just place it on any window sill which does not get direct light.
Humidity requirements
Humidity is one of the factors that this plant does not like changes about. You’ll have to be very vigilant about it. The oncidium tsiku marguerite plant loves a moderately humid environment. The optimal level of humidity for this plant is about 40 to 60 percent.
If you live in warmer areas, the humidity will not be a big problem for you. But if your area’s humidity levels are on the lower side then the growth will be stunted.
Other methods for keeping the humidity in the mild range are to mist your plant regularly. Misting is an easy and cheap method to make the environment favorable for the plant’s growth. Other than misting you can place a pebble tray with water underneath the pot. It will manage the humidity around the plant.
If you can invest some money In the well-being of your plants you can certainly get a humidifier installed. It will help you achieve the proper humidity range for plants growth and development.
Soil requirements
The soil needed for this tropical plant should have a pH ranging from 5.0 to 8.0 approximately. It prefers acidic to neutral soil. While potting this plant you can use bark and perlite as the mixture.
You can also add sphagnum moss for better results. These three combined can help the soil to become more well-draining and eventually it will make the soil aerated. Roots grow much better in the soil which has free-draining properties.
Fertilizer requirements
A good quality fertilizer will be best if you use it in the growing phase. Fertilizers are quite a need for the proper growth of a healthy plant. But they should only be used in the months of active growth.
The best fertilizer for the oncidium tsiku marguerite care is the one that has a 30-10-10 NPK value. Moreover, a fertilizer with a large amount of nitrogen will help your plant to bloom in a better way.
One thing to keep in mind while fertilizing your evergreen beauty is to water thoroughly before adding fertilizer. You will also need to make the fertilizer dilute. All of this is required to prevent the plant’s roots from burning and root rot.
Repotting requirements
Repotting is an essential part of the growth of the oncidium tsiku marguerite plant. This plant grows very quickly and achieves its maximum height in one year if given proper conditions.
If you have planted this pretty hybrid in a small pot at the beginning you will see the roots emerging from the edges of the pot after some time. This is the sign to tell you if the plant has overgrown the pot. At this point repotting is a necessity.
You should look for a pot that has a drainage hole and smoothly shifts your plant to the other pot. Along with moving this attractive plant to another pot, you should renew the soil as well. It is required because the old soil will not be able to fulfill the requirements of the growing plant.
Pruning requirements
Pruning this beauty is an important step in its care as it does not shed itself. Removing the brown and yellow leaves will make room for the growth of new leaves.
Pruning also helps in reducing the burden of the plant. It is also important as the oncidium tsiku marguerite is an ornamental plant and it requires to be pruned to look nice.
You should take care to use sterile scissors or instruments while pruning. Otherwise, you can introduce any infection to your plant.
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Oncidium Tsiku Marguerite Propagation
This low-maintenance epiphyte produces pseudobulbs and they are used for its propagation. These pseudobulbs happen to grow on the horizontal stems.
The optimal season for the propagation of this plant is from springtime to mid-summer. For propagation, you’ll need to follow the following instructions.
- You’ll need some gloves, sharp and sterile scissors, and a spare pot,
- Wear the gloves for your safety and inspect the plant for a vertical pseudobulb,
- After locating the pseudobulb take the pair of sterile scissors and cut it off,
- You’ll also need sphagnum moss for this propagation,
- Now place the sphagnum moss in the spare pot along with some soil,
- Take your pseudobulb and place it in the sphagnum moss mixture,
- Water it thoroughly and keep it in indirect, bright light,
- Moisture is the key, you will have to keep it moist at all times,
- It will take about 2 months for this pseudobulb to grow roots and shoots,
- Now you can move it to another, bigger pot along with the correct soil mixture for it to attain its maximum height.
Summary
Oncidium tsiku marguerite is a beautiful, lush, and low-maintenance house plant. It is a great choice for people who are just starting a plantation as a hobby. Its beautiful flowers add life to the gloomy apartments and give a fresh vibe.
It can easily survive all conditions and you need not worry much about this plant. Even though it doesn’t require much attention it will shower you with a lush bloom. This plant will make your faith stronger in planting and you will surely keep on doing this as a hobby.
