Dendrobium Spectabile - Rotten Roots?

[dianecty]

Hi everyone! I am a newbie at orchid growing but I love the more unusual flowers. I just bought a dendrobium spectabile.

When I received it, I depotted it right away and saw that most of the roots were dead - I think. My question is how can I tell if the roots are dead? They are beige or brown. None of them have green tips. When I pull on some of them, the velamen comes off and only the thread remains. That means they are dead, right? However, a lot of these roots are firm but I can still pull off the velamen.

The canes are very healthy, fat and firm.

What should I do? Should I just cut off all the rotten roots? Just pull out the velamen and leave the thread?

Can it survive if I remove the rotten roots? How can it be fat and firm if the roots are rotten?

Any help is appreciated!

[Roberta]

I would suggest that you just strip off the rotten velamin and leave the root core if it is firm. That will help you pot the plant with good stability in its new medium. It needs to be stable for the new roots to develop - wobbling tends to damage the fragile growing tips of the roots. You don't want to leave rotting material lying around in the new medium, but it sounds like you can clean it up without removing old roots completely. If it still isn't stable,then use stakes to help hold it in place.

The core of the root (which is actually the active part) may also be able to continue to hydrate the plant while it is growing new roots. The fact that it has firm canes is a tribute to the ability of orchids to conserve water... and a good sign that it will revive nicely.

[dianecty]

Hi, thanks for replying so quickly to my question!

Can you tell me what exactly is the root core and when you say strip off the velamen, are you saying leave the string?

Wow, there are lots of roots, so I have to feel each one and strip off each one?

[Roberta]

Yes, the "string" is the root core. If the velamin isn't black, it's probably fine...leave it If it is rotten (even if not black) and looks like it is separating from the core, you can strip it off. The velamin is like a sponge on the outside of the root - it helps to hold water. But the core (the stringy part) is actually the part that transfers water to the plant. Without the spongy coating, it's much less efficient, but can still work a little - as well as helping to stabilize the plant. You just don't want to leave a lot of obviously rotted stuff in the new potting mix... but you don't have to get the root zone sterile. It looks like you have already done a good job of rinsing off the crud. Actually, the roots look pretty good.Just pot it up and let it do its thing.

[estación seca]

I don't think the roots are rotten. I think they're just old. Dendrobium roots have a limited life cycle. After they're done growing they lose the green tips but remain alive collecting water. They don't grow new roots constantly, only with new vegetative growth, and only from the newest growths.

Dead roots are usually slimy and much darker.

With any luck it will grow soon and make more roots.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Welcome


I also love the weird flowers. Great choice here


That plant is healthy and I agree with Roberta and ES. Give it a wiggle and gentle rub to see if any are mushy or fall off, then rinse and repot

These guys love water and light.

After acclimating it I grow mine next to two Ecy and many schomburgkia hybrids

They get BIG

[DeaC]

Does anyone think that green basket it's potted in is not conducive to stability? Wouldn't a clay pot be better?

[Roberta]

True, that basket doesn't look like it holds things all that tightly... but with the mass of roots, might be sufficient to keep the plant stable relative to the pot. However, it isn't going to be long before this gets top heavy... and the whole thing is likely to fall over (and unpot itseelf) This plant is going to GROW... A clay pot (suggest a low-form pot to get a large footprint relative to the volume) would give some weight, move the center of gravity down.

[DirtyCoconuts]

i agree, i assumed that was the container it arrived in

[dianecty]

Thanks for all your input, guys! Actually I am using an old strawberry basket from the supermarket, hoping it will give the plant more ventilation because of all the dead roots before deciding whether to return this plant to the seller. The Ebay seller has given me a shipping label to return the plant but I like it so much despite the bad roots. The problem is I can't tell if the roots are bad or not because they are stringy but firm. As you can see, a lot of them are brown. When I pull on the firm roots, the velamen comes off and the string remains. I am thinking of keeping this plant. I can move it to a clay pot after I remove the dead roots. I am in Silicon Valley, CA zone 9b.