"grooming" a messy orchid (Dendrobium)

[OrchidsDownUnder]

I've recently been given a large pot of Dendrobium speciosum (or Thelychiton speciosus or Sydney Rock Lily, depending on your politics).

It's been really neglected and is fairly messy- lots of the canes have large burn marks on many/all leaves. And several leaves are split. Several canes are covered in a beige-gray fibrous husk.

My question is- do i try do 'clean' the plant up? If so, how? Can I just strip off the husk? If I cut the leaves off a dendrobium cane will it grow more leave or does that kill it (many of the canes have 5 leaves already, which i think is the max. number they grow)?

It's probably worth pointing out that the orchid is growing in its native environment and seems to be a tough old thing. It should be able to sustain a bit of tough love.

[Merlyn]

Yes, they ARE tough critters ! And no, if you cut the leaf off a cane it won't grow another unless it's not a fully mature cane and hasn't put out the terminal leaf yet. Older canes without leaves should be left alone unless they are brown and all dried up, then you can cut them out. They act like silos, storing food the newer ones will need.

[OrchidsDownUnder]

thanks for your reply. Ok, I'll just leave it until, eventually, those canes die off and are replaced by fresh new canes and leaves without the damage.

[Merlyn]

Hate to tell you but that's gonna be a while !!!

[Junebug]

The fibrous husk/sarong is easier to remove when it's wet. A few hours of rain will soften them up or you could periodically spritz the canes until the husk is soaking wet. Most of it should slide right off with a little coaxing.

[Lorraine]

The only thing I would do is clean off any old medium,and trim off any really dead canes. I have dens that actually rebloom off the leafless canes for quite a while. Nature never ceases to amaze me. A friend gave me a really pathetic den last year and I cut away the old wire basket, cleaned it up, put it in a new wire basket then into a pot to hold the whole darned thing..It has not stopped blooming for me!!