Is this dendrobium nestor alive?

[greenvalley]

I bought a dendrobium nestor "Nagata" in last March with flowers on it. Now the flowers are gone and I only have some "sticks" standing. Can someone tell me if this is alive? What should I do to make it grow leaves?



Thank you.

[WhiteRabbit]

from what I can see it looks to be alive I'm not familiar with this particular Den, but it is most likely deciduous. The existing canes won't grow new foliage, but new growth should come in and have foliage - tho that will be dropped also after the growth period.

[greenvalley]

Thanks. I put some 20-20-20 on it. Is it right?

[orchidsamore]

Den. Nestor (Den. parishii x Den. anosmum) is a deciduous Dendrobium.

It should lose all its leaves before flowering but usually stops losing them after the flowers set. I find this one to be one of the slower growing Dens.

You should be seeing new growth starting now (new canes and leaves). It is important for deciduous Dendrobium to start new growth after flowering. You will never get leaves again on the old canes and the plant needs leaves to make food.

Do not cut the old canes as they can flower again.

Fertilize heavy when you see new growth and stop all fertilizer in September.

[greenvalley]

Do I need to put some fertilizer on it? I used some 20-20-20 and watered twice a week. I have only 3 hours of eastern sun every day. Thanks.

[Swamper]

Can those canes be cut off later on and propagated?

[Call_Me_Bob]

i thinkthey can. but some ppl say its easy, however some say its difficult

[stefpix]

Why would you need to cut off the canes? probably you will get some keikis anyway

[Swamper]

You don't need to cut the canes off at all. I was just asking because I read once how you can do that. I thought maybe some one here has done that.

[Rosiefuture]

Originally Posted by greenvalley

I bought a dendrobium nestor "Nagata" in last March with flowers on it. Now the flowers are gone and I only have some "sticks" standing. Can someone tell me if this is alive? What should I do to make it grow leaves?

Attachment 46760

Thank you.

Hi there, yes it's a soft cane den so it will lose it's leaves. You should get new canes coming up from the base of the plant soon. I have a few of these and they will almost certainly flower again on these old cane so don't cut them off. Mine usually flower on the old canes (2 years) and the previous years canes (1 year) but they rarely flower on the present years growth. Most of mine are in bud at the moment.

You can propagate from the old canes and I have done so 3 ways.

• 1.Removed a couple of old canes and planted them up in a seperate pot where they have produced keiki's
• 2.Removed a couple of old canes and planted them up in a seperate pot where they have thrown out new canes at their base.
• 3.Removed a couple of old canes, cut them into sections with 2 nodes on each. Placed some sphagnum moss in a clear candy box and layed the sections on top. Sprinkled with water and replaced the lid, I placed the box on a windowsill. After about 6 weeks some had produced little plantlets at the nodes.

Hope this helps

Marion