Den. Enobi purple splash problem

[Tim P.]

Hi everyone...
So the orchid bug hit again. ( Hit my wallet harder . I decided to bite the bullet and purchase this dendrobium that has been on my list for a very long time. It just got to my house today... And I was so looking forward to someting to make a bad day better. Well, as history would have it my stars were not aligned. The plant I received has 90 percent of the root mass dead (I'm being generous with that number). Beings this is a hard to get plant and I specially picked this plant for its flower coloration I don't want to return it. I will try to make things right with the seller, but in the mean time how can I coax the plant to put out more roots? I'm not familiar with this type of dendrobium culture, but I know they grow seasonally... Which worries me. What would you guys do to make this plant servive and hopefully thrive? Should I cut all the mush off and repot? Leave dead roots on for anchor? Maybe give it a different pot as this one is odd?

[Tim P.]

Here is a pic of the whole plant...

Anyone have year round culture tips for this plant also? Not used to the ones who need a winter rest.

[Fairorchids]

Den Phalaenopsis types do take a short breather after each cane, but they are not seasonal and may grow new canes at any time. Repot in a relatively fine mix, or spaghnum/bark mix (2:1).

I do not let this type of Den dry out. I water when still moist.

[silken]

I agree, it is not the type that takes a real winter rest. And I think it prefers warmer temps as well, or at least not the cold dry rest nobile types need. I got a similar one that was rootless this spring. I potted it in a mix of moss, bark, perlite and watered with seaweed water for a few weeks to encourage root growth. It is doing fine now and has grown lots of roots. I had the good fortune of getting it in spring with the entire summer to recover. ut if you give it summer like conditions it might recover.

I would still notify the seller with pictures of the bad roots and try and get a replacement or a discount or something.

[Orchids4ever]

Hi
Mine is sitting on a shelf that gets heat from the lights below,I water once a week and fertilize all year round.
Exept I hold the fertilizer for 3-4 weeks after flowering
Mine is in a plastic pot with medium bark,perlite and charcoal .
That clay pot in the Picture looks good,as long as the roots fit in nice and snug- they don't like being over potted.
And as silken mentioned ,give it some Seaweed/Kelp to help it along to start growing new roots.

[Tim P.]

I will have to try all your suggestions and go from there. You have all been so helpful! Hopefully it will be a healthy plant one day! It is my favorite dendrobium cultivar.

[silken]

Originally Posted by Tim P.

I will have to try all your suggestions and go from there. You have all been so helpful! Hopefully it will be a healthy plant one day! It is my favorite dendrobium cultivar.

Good luck. I love this one as well. I got a small seedling a few years ago that was rootless and nursed it to health (sort of) in moss and a clay pot on heat, so that is another option for you to try. It bloomed but eventually died. So I tried again and this time got a much more mature one last spring. It too didn't have the best roots but has a new mature growth just now and has grown a lot of roots. I am really hoping for blooms.

[bil]

I was in a garden centre this summer asking about orchids, and the owner heard me, and invited me out back into a small greenhouse. There were a couple of dozen hard cane dens and tbh normally I wouldn't have given them a second glance. They all lookek like something you would use for compost, and several were knocked over showing that they had no roots AT ALL.

However, I did notice they the ones that had no roots had small green root tips. So I bit the bullet, and bought a dozen or so, at a couple of bucks each. I got a couple free even as they were in such poor order.

Withe the exception of one that didn't pull thru, and two that are too small to throw much more than leaves, every single plant is doing well, they all have a minimum of three flower spikes each, and a max of 6.

You have two choices. Get a replacement, but if you can't, and you want it badly, and I can see why, it's a lovely plant, I wouldn't be afraid of giving it a chance. I have bought plants from dealers, and had roots as bad as yours, and they have recovered the minute they got a bit of TLC. As someone above said, in your shoes, I would keep it in summerlike conditions so as to encourage it to root and grow. Some real care ought to give you a beautiful plant. Good luck with it.

[Tim P.]

Thank you for the encouraging story! I know phals and catts... Maybe i can be an experts in dendrobium also

[bil]

Originally Posted by Tim P.

Thank you for the encouraging story! I know phals and catts... Maybe i can be an experts in dendrobium also

Well, This year as a noob, I bought a variety of orchids. Catts, dens, soft and hard, vandas and cymbidiums. I had been tlod that I couldn't grow orchids here as it's too challenging. Well, I like a challenge. Some of them had good roots, but the vast majority had no roots worth having. Seriously. I could point you to examples in every single one of those whose roots were USELESS. Catts with a solid plug of compacted dead roots and sphagum, Dens and oncidiums with dead roots, roots like wood wool. Vandas with useless, rotting roots. All of those have turned round and are putting out the sort of roots to make anyone happy. Fat, plump roots. I'm no expert, but I did what everyone said. Potted them in bark, let them dry inbetween waterings, and if I can only keep them alive thru the winter, until I can get my greenhouse built, then they ought to do very well next year. Who knows, they may even flower! (the flowers this year I can't count as they were bought this year.)

However, I can report that one of the soft dens, all the hard dens and one of the Vandas are either flowering or well on the way. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your Den. I hope it gives you many years of pleasure!