Dendrobium nobile culture in tropical area

[ThePizzaMonster]

Hello. I got this dendrobium nobile about 6 months ago without knowing about the winter rest and have been experimenting to try to get it to bloom in my non-existent winter.

After the terminal leaves of each growth grew I started putting it in an air conditioned room at 68 F at night and during the day it's in direct sunlight at around 86 F. I stopped watering but noticed the old canes shriveled quite quickly so I'm now watering every few days. It's potted in coarse coconut husk.

The thing is I don't know if it's really resting because even though the growths aren't doing anything the roots seem to be growing out of the pot even. Has anyone managed to get a dendrobium nobile to bloom in warm weather? What should do?




This is what it looked like when I bought it, I think it said "bamboo orchid bloomin' orange firebird".

[OrchidBro]

I grown my nobiles outside year round with the rest of my orchids. The winter where I live is very minimal, a few nights might get into the mid to low 40s f. This winter has been exceptionally warmer than years past. My roots continue to grow during the rest period and I normally water it once every two weeks, when the canes start to shrivel. During the growth period I normally water every two days, for comparison. My nobiles bloom for me consistently every year and are already budding at this point. Another thing, no fertilizer during the rest period. I have heard/read some growers in warm climates will actually put their nobiles in their refrigerator overnight to mimic the colder rest period.

[ThePizzaMonster]

Originally Posted by OrchidBro

I grown my nobiles outside year round with the rest of my orchids. The winter where I live is very minimal, a few nights might get into the mid to low 40s f. This winter has been exceptionally warmer than years past. My roots continue to grow during the rest period and I normally water it once every two weeks, when the canes start to shrivel. During the growth period I normally water every two days, for comparison. My nobiles bloom for me consistently every year and are already budding at this point. Another thing, no fertilizer during the rest period. I have heard/read some growers in warm climates will actually put their nobiles in their refrigerator overnight to mimic the colder rest period.

Here on the coldest night it may reach 71 F so not cold at all. I tried putting it in the refrigerator for 1 hour every night for a week but it lost a few leaves and I'm not sure if that was normal or it was suffering because it was too cold.

I haven't fertilized since I started bringing it into the air conditioned room at night and I'm watering about half as frequently, which is every 3-4 days. It hasn't grown leaves or new growths for about a month so maybe it is resting indeed?

[OrchidBro]

Originally Posted by ThePizzaMonster

it lost a few leaves and I'm not sure if that was normal or it was suffering because it was too cold.

That is normal. These are semi-deciduous orchids so some canes may lose some leaves during the rest period and some canes might not lose any leaves. Eventually, over the life cycle of each cane, they will lose all of their leaves, but this could take many years to happen.

Originally Posted by ThePizzaMonster

It hasn't grown leaves or new growths for about a month so maybe it is resting indeed?

That would be a good indication that it is resting. My biggest nobile was in the middle of a 2nd growth cycle for the year when it started its rest period. So I have many keikis and baby growths that just stopped growing, leaves of other canes started to yellow and drop off slowly. I would continue to try and give it those colder night temps in order to get buds to develop. I am not sure your ACed room of 68 F will be cold enough to get it to bloom but you never know.

Did you get this nobile from a local grower? If so, you could always try and reach out to them and ask how they got it to bloom.

[ThePizzaMonster]

Originally Posted by OrchidBro

That is normal. These are semi-deciduous orchids so some canes may lose some leaves during the rest period and some canes might not lose any leaves. Eventually, over the life cycle of each cane, they will lose all of their leaves, but this could take many years to happen.



That would be a good indication that it is resting. My biggest nobile was in the middle of a 2nd growth cycle for the year when it started its rest period. So I have many keikis and baby growths that just stopped growing, leaves of other canes started to yellow and drop off slowly. I would continue to try and give it those colder night temps in order to get buds to develop. I am not sure your ACed room of 68 F will be cold enough to get it to bloom but you never know.

Did you get this nobile from a local grower? If so, you could always try and reach out to them and ask how they got it to bloom.

How long does the rest period usually take? I may keep going with the ACed room and if it doesn't work I may try the fridge again.

I got it from a local grower but I'm pretty sure it's imported from the Netherlands.

[OrchidBro]

Originally Posted by ThePizzaMonster

How long does the rest period usually take?

It really depends on the individual plant and conditions it is being grown in. Some people say to stop watering in October/November and don't start again until February/March. Again, that all depends on where and how it is being grown.

Personally, I observe my nobiles and their behavior to determine when they are starting to rest. I believe mine stopped growing in late November/early December and that is when I stopped watering. Looking at my photos from last year, the buds were really developing in February and it bloomed in March.

[ThePizzaMonster]

Originally Posted by OrchidBro

It really depends on the individual plant and conditions it is being grown in. Some people say to stop watering in October/November and don't start again until February/March. Again, that all depends on where and how it is being grown.

Personally, I observe my nobiles and their behavior to determine when they are starting to rest. I believe mine stopped growing in late November/early December and that is when I stopped watering. Looking at my photos from last year, the buds were really developing in February and it bloomed in March.

So I've got an update. I don't know if it was the air conditioner or that the temperature got cool enough at night but the plant bloomed beautifully.

[apfire]

I really like the yellow bloom.

[DirtyCoconuts]

for what it is worth, i am in a sub-tropical region and i treat them as if there is no rest period, they are not moved out of the Lath house and i do not ever avoid watering them.

i grow them in mostly inorganic mix so there is no worry about them getting soggy

---------- Post added at 12:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 PM ----------

they are also weird plants lol...all of them have bloomed and are growing and growing keikis and two days ago i noticed this

Schom schom schom by J Solo, on Flickr


this morning...

?

Nobile in the heat by J Solo, on Flickr

lol

[estación seca]

Yours might have some D. unicum or related in it. It might do OK without so much winter coolness.

Could you send it to spend time with any family in the mountains in winter? LOL