Dendrobium Unicum

[penfold2]

I got one of these from Orchids Limited a while back. It currently has 3 flowers open and many more buds, but I can't smell anything from them, morning, afternoon, or evening. The color is amazing, but I'm disappointed by the lack of fragrance. Unless it's just my nose.

Photo from a week ago:

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Clawhammer

I wonder if it stays small mounted? My current cane that is in bloom is only 3-4". Really cool that it can bloom so small. I would be happy to have a 20" cane of Unicum, my little cane in bloom can fragrance the whole grow room, a 16-20" can could fragrance the whole house

Mine is mounted. I hope I get blooms... buds, but some already blasted. Don't recall fragrance, will have to stick my nose in it when (if) it blooms!

[farley101]

I did inquire with Orchids Limited about the plant, Jerry responded that in his experience the plants just get bigger as they get older.
I also have been digging into the grex and the OP plant seems to be a species on its own. The tag I got has it as a hybrid of 'Tangerine Tango' x Tangerine Dream' FCC/AOS. Tangerine Dream is a offspring of unicum so I'm not sure how this circles back.
I don't really know what to do with this information, maybe someone more knowledgeable can decipher and figure out an answer of some kind?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by farley101

I did inquire with Orchids Limited about the plant, Jerry responded that in his experience the plants just get bigger as they get older.
I also have been digging into the grex and the OP plant seems to be a species on its own. The tag I got has it as a hybrid of 'Tangerine Tango' x Tangerine Dream' FCC/AOS. Tangerine Dream is a offspring of unicum so I'm not sure how this circles back.
I don't really know what to do with this information, maybe someone more knowledgeable can decipher and figure out an answer of some kind?

A cross between two named cultivars of a species is still the species, not a hybrid. By selecting particularly good cultivars as parents, the hope is to get offspring that are better - bigger more vigorous plants, bigger and more plentiful flowers. This is "line breeding" - taken to extreme, one can end up with "species" that a pollinator wouldn't recognize. (This is particularly the case with many line-bred Cattleya species) But it does lead to some beautiful orchids, while stretching the concept of "species" (orchids that occur in nature) a bit.

[farley101]

Wow, good to know! Thanks for that, I was wondering when I saw the tag. Yes, definitely seems a little different than the expected species!

[JaninaC]

Mine is only 6" tall and is in bloom.

[farley101]

I was admiring the 30+ blooms on my plant today and noticed that the main cane was looking very shriveled. I checked one of the pics I took a few weeks back and yes it is more shriveled. Would this be a case of the stress from blooming or should I be concerned about root issues?

It's potted in sphag that I've been trying to not let dry out but not soak. There's been a few times where I did get it pretty wet and stayed that way a while since the humidity has been a lot higher in the house since I can let outdoor air indoors again.

[estación seca]

I seem to recall reading populations from different localities have different sized canes, and there is a population of dwarf plants.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by farley101

I was admiring the 30+ blooms on my plant today and noticed that the main cane was looking very shriveled. I checked one of the pics I took a few weeks back and yes it is more shriveled. Would this be a case of the stress from blooming or should I be concerned about root issues?

It's potted in sphag that I've been trying to not let dry out but not soak. There's been a few times where I did get it pretty wet and stayed that way a while since the humidity has been a lot higher in the house since I can let outdoor air indoors again.

After it stops blooming, worth taking it out of the pot and checking roots. I don't think that blooming is particularly a stress. Also, how long has that cane been around? After it has going through a blooming cycle or two, it likely will wither, and give its energy to the newer canes. Which in turn will lose leaves in winter and bloom the following spring. Circle of life. So in time an older cane will lose its roots at any rate. It's the newer growths that you need to keep healthy - those will be the source of future flowers.

[farley101]

I purchased this plant probably 6 weeks ago or so, so I don't know the history of the canes. The longest one is over 20" but it has 2 smaller healthier looking ones but no sign of new growth. This is my first deciduous orchid so not exactly sure how they act. Thanks for the replies!

See attached photo, just realized I accidentally color coordinated the pot with this one!