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02-01-2016, 07:54 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Zone: 7b
Location: Oklahoma City
Age: 74
Posts: 80
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Can I cut off old dendrobium backbulbs?
Early last spring I won the last plant on our club's raffle table. It was a Den. spectabile. It was bare root and had 4 leafless canes that were 2 feet tall. Got home and soaked it then potted up in fine potting mix. Lo and behold, it grew 2 new growths that are now 1 foot tall each and it has a new growth starting. Last fall I removed the 2 oldest canes. I don't appreciate the weird flowers and want to put it on the raffle table this spring. My question is: Can I remove the remaining 2 tall leafless canes or are they contributing to the health of the new growths?
Last edited by kwarren; 02-01-2016 at 07:56 PM..
Reason: Want consistant tense of first sentence
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02-01-2016, 08:14 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2015
Zone: 10a
Location: Abrantes
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I believe they contribute to the plant as water and nutrients reservoir. I tend to compare all those canes and roots to a complete system, like a city, for ex, with all the sub-systems: transportation, security, water suply, energy, etc. Each one of them has their contribution to the whole system (the plant). The moto here is: if it's green, then let it be.
Plus, sometimes old canes can have blooms too. I have an example at home: a two year old cane is blooming.
Last edited by rbarata; 02-01-2016 at 08:17 PM..
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02-01-2016, 08:16 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Zone: 5a
Location: Madison WI
Age: 65
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As long as they are in good shape they are a huge asset to the plant.
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02-01-2016, 08:32 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
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Dendrobium spectabile can rebloom from those old canes, so leave them.
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02-01-2016, 08:42 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2015
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Location: Southern Maine, US
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Had to google it- you're right, those flowers are weird. Kinda cool, though
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02-01-2016, 08:44 PM
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Super Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Zone: 10a
Location: Coastal southern California, USA
Posts: 13,858
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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I love Den. spectabile. Unfortunately, they need a greenhouse where I live, and a lot of space, and GH is little. <sigh>
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02-01-2016, 09:15 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2012
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Location: Athens, Georgia, USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roberta
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I love Den. spectabile. Unfortunately, they need a greenhouse where I live, and a lot of space, and GH is little. <sigh>
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Actually, I have no problem growing mine without a greenhouse.
I would definitely NOT cut those old pseudobulbs, BTW.
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02-01-2016, 09:27 PM
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Super Moderator
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Zone: 10a
Location: Coastal southern California, USA
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I am surprised that they are so hardy! Do you keep them dry to protect from frost?
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02-01-2016, 09:55 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Zone: 7b
Location: Oklahoma City
Age: 74
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Thank you all for your advise. I will not cut off the older canes. I grew it outside with morning sun until late morning and brought into my greenhouse in late fall. Thanks again!
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Post Thanks / Like - 1 Likes
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02-04-2016, 10:56 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2011
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Yes, do not cut off any parts unless they die and dry on their own. They are all full of good stuff they need.
I also find this flowers creepy. I don't think anyone will think this is beautiful. Definiatley unique but not pretty in anyone's point, I don't think.
By the way, there are quite a bit of variations among plants in how curly, hairly and kinky the flowers can get, not to mention color variations.
Why don't you at least flower it to see if you find it appealing.
To further entice you, they have wonderful fragrance.
You do have to give them a lot of light though.
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Tags
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canes, tall, growths, table, leafless, raffle, spring, fall, removed, starting, health, foot, growth, question, flowers, remaining, remove, weird, contributing, plant, clubs, den, bare, spectabile, won |
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