Soft cane dendrobium lifecycle.

[bil]

OK, so the first year it is a soft cane that grows.
The second year the cane is mature, still has leaves and flowers, right?
now what happens the third, fourth and fifth years?

I have a plant with some canes that have no leaves, but did not flower either.

So, at which point do they lose their leaves? Do they then beome storage only, or do those flower under the right conditions?

Thanks.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Assuming we're talking about a Dendrobium that has a definite winter rest period...

From the time that a new cane starts to emerge out of the meristematic tissue we call an "eye"; the cane will get larger and larger, produce leaves, and mature. Usually, over the course of one growing season, the new canes will reach maturity and stop getting longer/taller before the onset of winter dormancy.

After winter dormancy ends, a new, mature cane can either bloom or not bloom. Either way, the cane will remain alive until it gets old, (different canes will have different time frames for getting old), then it starts to move nutrients from the old cells in the old canes to the newer cells in the newer canes. The old canes eventually die once the nutrients have been transferred.

How long each cane lives can differ from one another.

[bil]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Assuming we're talking about a Dendrobium that has a definite winter rest period...

From the time that a new cane starts to emerge out of the meristematic tissue we call an "eye"; the cane will get larger and larger, produce leaves, and mature. Usually, over the course of one growing season, the new canes will reach maturity and stop getting longer/taller before the onset of winter dormancy.

After winter dormancy ends, a new, mature cane can either bloom or not bloom. Either way, the cane will remain alive until it gets old, (different canes will have different time frames for getting old), then it starts to move nutrients from the old cells in the old canes to the newer cells in the newer canes. The old canes eventually die once the nutrients have been transferred.

How long each cane lives can differ from one another.

So, for how long does the cane retain leaves? Does each cane get but one set which lasts a couple of years, or does it shed leaves and get a new set every year?

Do canes without leaves ever bloom, or are they only used as food/water reserves?

[WhiteRabbit]

Leafless canes can bloom. Leaves will start to drop the following "leaf drop" season after maturity. Canes do not grow more leaves after dropping them.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Since I'm not really sure what kind of Dendrobium you're asking about, my answer to your question may not be spot on.

When we're talking about Dendrobiums, we're talking about 1,200 to 1,500 species known to science.

There are general groups of Dendrobiums that share similar characteristics.

Assuming you're not talking about "evergreen" Dendrobiums, my answer goes like so…

Should you be referring to a Dendrobium that drops its leaves, there are 2 very, very general kinds:

1. Dendrobiums that go fully deciduous.

2. Dendrobiums that are semi-deciduous.

A Dendrobium that goes fully deciduous are very distinct in that once the pseudobulb or cane matures, and the plant is about to approach dormancy, all the leaves will drop. When the leaves drop, they will not re-grow their leaves from those same canes again. Only new shoots will grow new leaves.

Generally speaking, a semi-deciduous Dendrobium can have some mature canes completely drop all their leaves after 2 - 3 years. Any other cane will still retain their leaves. Canes where the leaves have completely fallen off will not re-grow new leaves. With these, there are noticeably more canes that are bald compared to those of "evergreen" Dendrobiums.


If you're talking about "evergreen" Dendrobiums, they will only drop old leaves, most of the canes will still retain leaves for a few years. Very few canes will be seen completely leafless. When the leaves drop, they will not regrow.



Orchids are not like roses. When you remove all the leaves on a rose bush, new leaves will emerge from the nodes where there are meristematic tissue that are alive. With orchids, once the growth matures, however many leaves that pseudobulb, cane, or tuberoid grew is the number of leaves that particular growth will have for the remainder of its life. To clarify my point, hypothetically speaking, should you remove leaves from orchids, new leaves will not emerge from the nodes to replace them. Once the leaves are gone on an orchid, the leaves are gone - period.



Yes, a leafless cane on a Dendrobium can still bloom, depending on the type of Dendrobium in question. For certain Dendrobiums, a leafless cane will not bloom.

[bil]

Thanks very much, those replies have answered my queries fully and completely.

Much appreciated.