What to do with this beautiful but unruly orchid?

[Fallon825]

I have an orchid that has grown to about 3 ft tall (4 ft if I include the blooms). It doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all. It currently has three flower stalks on it and another one starting. What should I do to this plant, if anything? Prune it? Separate and repot it? It’s beautiful, but very large! I know nothing about growing orchids. I believe it got this way from sheer dumb luck on my part!

I am not sure if I attached the photo correctly, but I included a wine bottle in the photo for a size comparison.

Thanks!

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board, and congratulations on flowering this plant so well.

It is a Dendrobium or Den., probably a hybrid. Dendrobium is a huge genus with species in many different groups, requiring different culture. This is in the Den. phalaenopsis or Den. phal. group, named after the flower resemblance to the unrelated genus Phalaenopsis. This kind of Dendrobium likes to be warm, well-watered and brightly lit all year.

The time to repot is when the plant makes new roots, and they are only 1-2 millimeters long. That is likely to be sometime next Spring. It is outgrowing the current pot. The old medium may have begun decomposing. Like most other orchids, it prefers lots of air at the roots. People often use medium to large orchid bark for Den. phals.

[Roberta]

Don't "prune". In general, don't cut! When you see new growth (and new roots) starting, repot into a bigger pot.

[Dimples]

That plant is beautiful!

[Mountaineer370]

Welcome to the Orchid Board, Fallon825. That is a beautiful specimen, the type of orchid many of our members here strive for. Of course I understand, when a plant becomes that large, not everyone will have the space for it. (Sadly, I have had to rehome several of mine that got too large.) I hope yours will continue to have a place with you.

Follow the advice from estacion seca and Roberta above, and it should remain healthy for many years.

[Fallon825]

Thanks for the welcome and the advice. Looks like I need to get a bigger pot! Just to clarify, should I divide it into separate plants, or keep it all together?

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Fallon825

Thanks for the welcome and the advice. Looks like I need to get a bigger pot! Just to clarify, should I divide it into separate plants, or keep it all together?

Keep it all together and have one WOW orchid when it blooms. Otherwise you'll end up with two just as large in a couple years... no need for more than one.