Beginner- first dendrobium! Advice needed

[Suzanne17]

Hi, all- been lurking a while but this is my first post. I'm a relative beginner, having started out with a NOID gift (a phal) from a lovely aunt last year and have since acquired several more "rescue" phals from HD and grocery stores, etc. I can't seem to pass by a display without looking for a mini to take home. Anyway, I thought I would branch out to a local grower (Little Brook Orchids) and picked up a lovely Phal. Sogo Grape "Fireball" and a Paph. Pinocchio x sib which is still in bud. My first named orchids! So exciting.

Today I went to the nursery to pick up some ceramic orchid pots (for show only- the plants stay in clear plastic) and of course...wandered by the greenhouse. They had a few non NOID orchids today! They had a dendrobium labeled "D. New Aridang Blue #3" with NPR693 on top- don't know if that means anything. The manager thought it would be purplish but wasn't sure. It was fairly ratty so she marked it down from 29.99 to 9.99. When I got it home, I thought it actually looked pretty good- I think there are some new roots and maybe a cane starting? I did trim off the long dead roots and I trimmed the flower spike down to right where it branches out of the stem. So it looks like there are two canes and one growing, and then I think there is a fourth brand new one starting? I think I need to re-read the anatomy of a dendrobium.

I know the two bigger canes won't rebloom but I'm thinking it would probably not be a good idea to cut those canes so soon, correct? Will the smaller cane bloom? I will repot as soon as my order of pots arrives this week to check the roots. I think understand the care is fairly similar to Phal. - but they like to not dry out, correct? I believe I was able to upload pictures into my gallery but I couldn't seem to upload them to this post. Thanks !!

(edited to change stem to cane...oops)

[MattWoelfsen]

Welcome to the Orchid Board Suzanne17. I am just getting into Dendrobium, so I cannot tell you what Dendrobium type your new plant requires in terms of nurture. I am sure others will offer their ideas about this plant. Welcome on board!

[RandomGemini]

I'm not sure what you mean when you're talking about stems.

Dendrobiums have canes, which is the stalk that leaves grow from. They can also have spikes, the stems flowers grow on, which grow out of the canes, usually near the leaves. I would not cut down the canes, ever, unless they look diseased or rotted. Spikes, you can trim once the flowers die back, or allow them to die back on their own, which is what I do. I don't think dendrobiums rebloom from old spikes, like phals do, but I'm not sure. Hopefully someone else will come along that can answer that question for both of us.

As far as the care, it really depends. I have one NOID Dendrobium that turned out to have care pretty similar to phals. I have another one that likes to be watered on the same schedule as my paphs and oncidiums and likes slightly brighter light than phals. There are some that are TOTALLY different from that. There's a lot of diversity in dendrobiums.

Some dendrobiums, I think they are referred to as nobiles, require a winter rest. I avoid these, because I'm just not sure I would do the winter rest properly. I don't THINK yours is one of these, but you should probably do some research on your particular hybrid and find out.

I did look up some pics of your plant in bloom and it's beautiful. I think that it's probably going to have similar care to mine, which is phal light and watering requirements.

[Suzanne17]

Sorry! I meant canes, not stems! Thank you. I will edit. I think I found it too when I looked up the name- light purple and white?

[RandomGemini]

Yes, that's it. It's very pretty! It looks similar to my noid, which I think is Dendrobium Pretty Doll, so I think it might have Phal culture, like mine.

[Suzanne17]

Thank you! What a great resource.

[tarev]

Welcome Suzanne to OB!

Some dens can bloom even on a short cane and some will bloom on its keiki..it just depends when all growing conditions are right. Just remember do not plant the other end too deep nor in a too big container. My dens like that end side where the roots show, to be raised a bit above the media, I guess it helps it dry fast when it gets watered, they really love good air circulation too.

Then come winter time, depending if that den needs a winter rest, no watering as mentioned already. Some really need to be taken indoors when it is cold lower than 50F..learned that the hard way.

Enjoy!