Understanding the term Nobile Dendrobium

[Lisajo]

Hello, I am new to the board and fairly knew to the orchid world. Growing for 2 years and I have 7 orchids (2 phal, 3 cat, 2 den). I live in southern Florida near the gulf so humid and mostly warm.
I am trying to understand the difference between a hard cane, soft cane and nobile cane. It feels like a nobile cane is another term for a hard cane?
Thanks for the knowledge

[Orchidtinkerer]

there are hard can dendrobiums and soft cane. I think the name is very bad personally as the main difference is the firmness of the leaves and the cane will be identical.

Soft canes have soft leaves that can be bent. Hard cane have leaves that would break if you tried to bend them.

The main difference is that hard cane dendrobums are warm growing so need heat, soft cane dendrobiums are more seasonal and experience very cold winters.

A nobile is just another soft cane dendrobium like hundreds others but what makes it confusing is that the dendrobium Nobile is actually a species that has been used extensively for breeding.

So when most people refer to their dendrobium nobile, it isn't actually a dendrobium nobile but one of the many hybrids created that could have as little as 10% nobile parentage left. A better term would be a dendrobium nobile hybrid, the nobile part at least helps to distinguish that is can tolerate the cold and can benefit from it to bloom.

From a practical point of view there is not much more that is important, you just need to know how to grow whatever hybrid best. If it is a soft cane hybrid you give it a cold winter rest.

[Lisajo]

Thank you!