Assessing Dendrobium Latouria-Type Health

[c123anderson]

Hello all! I have a question that I haven't been able to search out an answer for. I would appreciate if there is a site or if anyone has any thoughts.

I received a latouria-type dendrobium about a month ago, specifically a Den. Little Norman. I am enjoying its beauty but am somewhat concerned and not sure if I should be. It seems to be happy and growing, but its pseudobulbs do not have the smooth, full appearance that I have come to expect with my Den. spectabile. They actually are thin at the base (like a kingianum) and wider closer to the leaves.

Conditions: lives indoors w/temps ranging from 68F to 74F. Humidity 40%-70%. Watering about every 4-5 days. In a bark-mix medium. No artificial light (right now). Cloudy daylight through a filtered window at about 8-10 hours.

My question: what should I be looking for as far as measuring plant health with this type of plant?

I usually watch pseudobulbs and leaves for general plant health and try to watch for new root growth, but these pseudobulbs have me a little worried that it's not getting enough water, but the pseudobulbs I wouldn't quite characterize as "shriveled" -- meaning the inconsistent shriveling that I have seen in dendrobium pseudobulbs that are not getting enough water.

Thank you for your thoughts. And, let me add, I've had some great answers to previous questions. I need to post a "happy" post about my orchid successes, which I partly attribute to some great advice I've received on this board, either directly or in answers to others' questions. Thank you!

[estación seca]

Narrow-at-the-base but enlarging higher, 4-sided or angular pseudobulbs are characteristic of this Section, as well as Section Densiflora. Some are even more pronounced than with your plant.

[Roberta]

Dendrobium is a huge genus. The plants within a section will have some commonality, but from section to section, not much at all. That looks like a very healthy plant.

[dbarron]

It's my opinion that this is one of the easier to grow sections of Dendrobium (many of which are easy anyway). It seems your conditions as described should make it happy.

[c123anderson]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Narrow-at-the-base but enlarging higher, 4-sided or angular pseudobulbs are characteristic of this Section, as well as Section Densiflora. Some are even more pronounced than with your plant.

So my Norman is looking healthy? And pseudobulb lack of fullness isn’t necessarily a sign of I’ll health?

[Roberta]

It's totally healthy, and that's normal pseudobulb configuration for that type of Dendrobium. Some Dens have canes that are skinnier at the base, even pendant.

[c123anderson]

Thank you all for the encouragement. Yes, true latouria-type really doesn’t narrow it down tremendously. I have an aberrans and a spectabile, both of which are quite different but “latouria-type”.

Thanks everyone!

[estación seca]

In orchid taxonomy plants are generally separated into species or groups by flower shape, not by plant shape. But many groups have noticeable plant similarities among members.

[dbarron]

Continuing Estacion seca's thread: Lats like it warmer, moister, maybe slightly less light and maybe grow just a bit faster than nobiles. They also dont' take a winter rest.

[c123anderson]

Originally Posted by dbarron

Continuing Estacion seca's thread: Lats like it warmer, moister, maybe slightly less light and maybe grow just a bit faster than nobiles. They also dont' take a winter rest.

The more I've read about my spectabiles, I'm learning that they aren't too happy "resting".

I guess I asked the question because of the great variety of information online I've found for various orchid questions. Certainly some seem more reputable than others, and I'm surprised how much advice (good or bad) is just flat out copied by sellers online.

Ultimately, I'm an advocate for knowing the plant and what makes it happy or unhappy. My large spectabile got a little rest, now it's sprouting a new pseudobulb. Likewise, I have a phal. that I ignored for a month or two, and it bloomed beautifully. I wouldn't suggest this, but I try to know and observe all my plants and learn about each variety to try to provide suitable environments for them to grow.

Little Norman stumped me with its appearance, but it seemed healthy. I just didn't want to misread the signed.

Thank you, all, again!