Dendrobium ID help!

[ajeatoo]

Hi,

I haven't posted in a while but my phal orchid collection just keeps growing and they are all doing well, currently 4 of my 11 are in spike and a 5th is blooming. All the others are working on roots or leaves.

My question today is about dendrobiums. I ended up buying a small Dendrobium spur of the moment when I was buying a phal for my sister in law. Got home all excited and have now realized there are different growing habits to dens. Specifically some need a winter dry rest and like a colder temp to help blooms before the winter rest. Whereas others do not need or require this and don't like a winter rest.

The den I got doesn't have any blooms, although I can see where the old blooms were. They bloomed directly off the cane so it's not a den phal. Other than that I know nothing.

So how should I proceed with this? I don't want to give the dry winter rest if it needs water! It has allot of nice new growth, a few new canes and the older canes had 5 and 6 blooms on them each respectively.

I'll try to load some pics. It kept putting them sideways on me earlier...

Thanks in advance!!

[ajeatoo]

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[LizB88]

Hello ajeatoo,

Hope this helps, I am assuming that your got a Nobile, and it will requires a winter rest, meaning less water during the winter.

From:Dendrobium Nobile Culture

Dendrobium Nobile:

The Dendrobium Nobile is a cool grower and has flowers that bloom along the pseudobulb rather than form the top of the pseudobulb on a raceme as the warm grower Dendrobium Phalaenopsis.

TEMPERATURE: The nobile dendrobium is very hardy. They truly love it outside. If the temperature should drop to as low as 38° F. at night there is little to worry about, they can take it. However, if you are in a possible frost area, protect these plants.

WATERING: In the spring of the year when the pant is sending out new growth you should be watering about once a week. During periods of low humidity or when it is very hot, spray the foliage especially if the plant has not been watered in the last three to five days. Cut down your watering of nobile type Dendrobiums in September to induce bud formation which lots of blooms come spring. In October water only when it looks like your pseudobulbs are shriveling or it gets very hot a good spray is beneficial. Water should be withheld until such a time as flower buds have clearly started their development in the spring.

FERTILIZING: In the spring when there is new growth showing it's time to start with a high nitrogen fertilizer. It does not harm to fertilize every time you water, but mix your fertilizer at half strength recommended by the manufacturer. Stop using high nitrogen fertilizer in July and start using the high phosphorus (10-30-20) and only when you have to water.

LIGHT: Only about 30 to 50% shading is required during most of the year provided there is a sufficient amount of air movement over the plants. For good growth and blooms it is generally recommended that you have at least 1500 to 3000 foot candles.

POTTING MEDIUM: In So. Cal. fine fir bark (1/8 to 1/4") is an excellent medium. Other medium are osmunda, sphagnum moss, New Zealand moss and numerous other mixes. As with all orchid plants good drainage is a must. Dendrobiums as a group like very small pots. As an example, a plant with 3 to 4 pseudobulbs and about 10 to 15" tall, a 3 to 4" pot is adequate.

[ajeatoo]

Hmmm ok thanks for the info! Since our temps here are about 24-29 during the day and lows of 12 at night it might be a good idea to start putting it out during the day until I have to bring it in since it likes a nice cold before winter. It was in the big greenhouse at the nursery so I'll just start setting it out gradually at first.

Fingers crossed I can get the hang of this one! It looks very healthy right now.


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[SoCalOrchidGirl]

I love Dendrobium Nobiles. You will find these plants are very rewarding and very easy if you give it correct culture. The best place to learn more about what these plants need is Yamamoto Dendrobium website. If you follow his directions on how to care for them during the different seasons, they will reward you with abundance of flowers. One of mine bloomed up to 30 flowers this past spring and now is putting out 8 new shoots. Since I live in southern california, they are outside most of the time and I only bring them in when they start to bud and flower. One of the most important tip is to stop all fertilizing the first week of August and slow down on watering when temperature begins to drop. To flower, the plant needs minimum 25 days of consistent night temperatures in the lower 50 degrees fahrenheit. Once you have achieved that, bring the plant in and wait for the glorious show to begin. Good luck!

[estación seca]

I know nobiles do well even in inland southern California. How hot is too hot for them in the summer?

[SoCalOrchidGirl]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I know nobiles do well even in inland southern California. How hot is too hot for them in the summer?

I have had them outside last weekend when it was over 100 degrees. Given that it wasn't 100 degrees for more than an hour or two and they were in bright shade and they were well hydrated and plenty of good air circulation. Most of the days in summer here, it's in the high 80s and mid 90s and they seem fine. I think the most important factor here is that there is a day night differential. Dendrobium nobile are extremely easy to grow, I think from all the orchids out there, dendrobium nobiles should have been th beginners orchid rather than Phalaenopsis. They would like high humidity but they can survive on low to medium. They grow vigorously during summer so plenty of water, good air circulation and some sun is a must. Once it cools down a bit in end of September and early October, I will move them to receive full sun for a few hours a day to make sure the canes get strong and harden and prepare them for flowering for spring.

[ajeatoo]

Thanks for the replies, I have checked out Yamamoto dendrobiums that's for the tip they have lots of good info on there!!! I think the biggest problem for me is to figure out where it is going to live during our winter inside.

One other quick question, it's not blooming so should I repot now? It would keep it in the same pot since the size looks right, but I don't know what the media is that it's in. It has sphagnum on the top. Is it a good idea to re pot now even though it is in its growth phase? Before it starts to work on hopefully setting blooms?


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[SoCalOrchidGirl]

Originally Posted by ajeatoo

One other quick question, it's not blooming so should I repot now? It would keep it in the same pot since the size looks right, but I don't know what the media is that it's in. It has sphagnum on the top. Is it a good idea to re pot now even though it is in its growth phase? Before it starts to work on hopefully setting blooms?


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Repot only during active growing phase, if you have new shoots, its ok to repot. Different media depends on your weather and location. I have mine in net baskets with bark mix only. When I purchased it from Yamamoto, they had them potted in coconut husks. I like medias that dry out quickly and I have to admit, I love watering so for me bark is the best since they are dry by nightfall. Also Nobiles love to be root bound, so I think the pot you have is good. Maybe just drill some holes in there for good aeration.

As for winter, as long as you can offer it a bright spot facing east, west, or south, it will be happy. Its not their growing season so it really doesn't need too much of anything. Water it only when media is dry and when the canes started to shrivel a bit, no fertilizer at all. They are really easy and the reward is amazing. Can't get better than these orchids!

Do you know what the flowers look like?


I forgot to add, if you are going to repot, keep it on the dry side for about 2 weeks, water only to moisten the surface until you see new roots appear. Also keep the plant in about 40% shade for about 3 weeks after repotting.

[ajeatoo]

No idea what the flowers are like since it wasn't blooming when I got it. The roots look good from what I can see, quite a few poking out with nice green tips. It has new growth (new canes) I think one isn't mature yet because it has a leaf on the end, not the blunt tip yet. If I'm understanding that correctly.

And yes I read they like to dry out by day's end so that why I was leaning towards repotting to get it out of the sphagnum, it seems like it's in nothing but sphag from what I can feel.

Also our temps here during the day are about 25, night temps a low of 10-12. I've been putting it outside during the day for the last three days and bringing it at night to acclimate and am hoping to leave it outside starting tonight until the temps drop lower in order to allow it the cold temps it needs.

Do you think it would do ok or would that be too harsh too soon?


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