Dendrobium blooming

[kkara]

Hi all. i have several orchids. one of mine, a dendrobium, i have had for over a year. i am a college student, and last year i left it at home. it began to bloom in the winter last year, but got too cold to fast and the buds fell off. then it hibernated, and this spring, but out a new stalk with a crazy amount of roots. unfortunatly because i wasnt able to see the bloom progression last year, i am a little unsure. it grew several leaves, and then in the center i could see a little nub thing. i got excited, cause i thought it was going to be aflower spike. but nothing happend for a few weeks, and then it began to grow a new stalk off the one that had just grown. is that normal? was it going to flower and then decided to stop? i water once a week, and it is in a pot with bark and charcoal and stuff. very loose. i repotted it this spring because my brother nocked it over and broke its last pot, forcing me too. i will attach some picks. what are your thoughts?

[WhiteRabbit]

Sometimes they get those nubs without blooming - tho can possibly bloom at a later time. Is this a Phal type Den ?

[kkara]

i dont believe so. when it bloomed last year, it did not look like a phal cross but i could be wrong

[WhiteRabbit]

well I meant a Dendrobium from the Phalaenthe section - blooms somewhat resemble phals tho - I didn't think it was one from the looks of the canes, but I am not an expert. Do you have a name for it, or bloom pix?

[RosieC]

Hi Kkara and welcome to Orchid Board.

As WhiteRabbit said a Phal type Dendrobium is not a cross with a Phalaenopsis, but rather a sub-grouping of the Dendrobium genus. Click here for an example of one of mine. They come in lots of colours and are regularly hybridised and hybrids in this group are easily available.

I actually think it looks like it could either be in this groups or something similar like the "Antelope" type (which is often crossed with the Phal type). You mention a 'spike' for the flowers and these types are the ones which grow spikes in a similar way to Phalaenopsis orchids, others generally grow their flowers against the canes.

I would say that it can be quite normal for the new canes to not grow a flower spike, sometimes they will produce one later on after other canes have grown, and there often is a nub at the top which is just the termination of the cane.

I find they need lots of light, especially in August/September to help trigger flowering.

If it's the type of Den I think, they they don't need a winter rest like some Dens. I slightly reduce watering in winter, but only because they dry slower in the winter. As though all the year I water based on when it dries.

[kkara]

ok. and here is a pic i took last year of the flower

[RosieC]

That does look to me like it's either in the Phal group or something very similar with similar growing conditions.

I think any new growth on this is a good sign. If it's not flowered then next year try it in slightly brighter light in later summer and that should help.

[CTB]

Hi Welcome to the Orchid Board! Is this Den. tight in the pot, if it moves around when watering weekly you could be damaging the roots. Are you fertilizing it weakly weekly.? It looks like it needs more water and fertilizer. It takes a lot of strength and light to produce a bloom. Some blooms come from the center and others come from anywhere along the stalk. What direction is your light source coming from.? You might try a South window.

[kkara]

oh its anchored in! lol i believe that when i have to go repot it, i will do less damage to the roots by breaking the pot, instead of pulling it out.
unfortunatly, no i havent been fertilizing. the fertilizer is at home, and i am at school. but i am going home on wensday, so i planned on starting that again. my window faces west, but i move the plant around in my room, so sometimes it gets 3 hours of direct sun.