Den. Spectabile - New Growth Color Change

[estación seca]

If you can figure out how to keep it warmer it would appreciate that.

[c123anderson]

And here are the roots when I got the pot off and the full plant prior to removing the pot.

[c123anderson]

Originally Posted by estación seca

If you can figure out how to keep it warmer it would appreciate that.

I’m thinking I’m going to set it aside with a grow light. I have a couple of small humidity/temp gauges that I can use one to monitor the temp, but the grow light should give it some warten and light. I believe the spectabiles like a higher light.

[c123anderson]

Hi all. An update: went to water another den. sitting nearby and discovered white-looking fuzz. Ugh!

After examining and spraying fungicide - liberally - I think I may be solving the mystery.

I had a Howeara seedling that just wilted away suddenly. I removed the medium to inspect the roots and got a seriously strong ammonia smell. Noticing the white fuzz, too, I think I’ve got (at least) two issues: mold/fungus and some questionable media/repotting needed. Time to do some early spring cleaning!

So for the spectabile, the rotted new growth needed its repotting, and it’s in a media that should drain nicely but allow for growth. The growth will take some time. The second issue, frankly, sort of snuck up on me. This plant came with a lot of sun damage, so it had black spots that I watched and carefully assessed as sun damage. BUT I didn’t monitor the black spots, so I believe the spectabile had a fungus or mold growing that looked a lot like the existing sun damage. So its 1) old media/needing new, clean media, along with 2) a fungus/mold led to the death of the new growth.

Given its copious roots, anything that was soft and rotting got cut away. And it got a dosing of fungicide. Hopefully those two treatments and, from the suggestion here, a little more warm environment, it will bounce back.

Thank you, all, again for your help. I’m sorry to say the ammonia smell was like smelling salts and a wake up call, but I think that was what helped me understand that this situation was more complicated than I originally thought. And to be watching things better and paying closer attention.

[estación seca]

White fuzz grows on cold, wet media. Your growing area might be a lot cooler than you think.

[c123anderson]

So an update on the Den. spectabile: All leaves have yellowed and fallen off. It is nothing more than 4 canes in a pot.

I don't see any new growth, and 3 of the 4 canes feel squishy. What I mean is that when I give them a tiny squeeze, they feel soft. Only 1 does not feel soft. There is no apparent new growth.

Here is my question: what happened?

Here are the conditions: I applied insecticide to this plant due to the mealybugs after I had repotted it. Everything seemed .... okay ....

Then I recalled someone put their orchids in the shower, so I gave this orchid a light shower for a few minutes. Water temp. was cooler/tepid. Plenty of drainage.

Then the leaves started to drop. Now all are gone and canes are squishy.

What did I do wrong?

And, please don't advise me I should never own orchids. I feel pretty wretched about this plant, which had some spectacular blooms only a few months ago. I feel like I committed floricide.

[Lil Duck]

Your conditions are likely too cool for the orchid to do well. I would keep it with 80 degree days and 65 to 70 degree nights keeping it no lower than 65 degrees. Dendrobium spectabile is an obligate hot grower

[c123anderson]

Originally Posted by Lil Duck

Your conditions are likely too cool for the orchid to do well. I would keep it with 80 degree days and 65 to 70 degree nights keeping it no lower than 65 degrees. Dendrobium spectabile is an obligate hot grower

Yes! It does need a warmer area. It's in an area 68F-75F.

[Roberta]

If under your conditions Den. spectabile is not to be, don't give up! There are many other wonderful species (as well as their hybrids) that will grow well for you. Part of the adventure is discovering which ones those are. (I have been growing orchids for a long time, have a rather substantial and varied collection, and have had plenty of fatalities in the learning process. That makes the successes just that much sweeter!)

If you like large, slow-growing Dendrobiums with weird flowers, consider looking for Den finisterrae or one of its hybrids. It comes from higher elevations in Papua New Guinea. But it is slowww... So also look for other things that will reward you while you're waiting. There are so many!

Also, if one cane is firm, there's still a chance. New growth is not quick - more of a once-a-year thing. Orchids in general have their progress measured in months, at least. A slow grower like Den spectabile, more like a year or two. Really. These things are slowwww... Again, while you are watching it (much slower than watching grass grow...) get some things that can give you gratification a little faster... :

[c123anderson]

Thank you, Roberta, for that wonderful advice.

There's really nothing like the excitement of discovering a beautiful new root or growth or even a new bud. Likewise, there's the heartache of losing the bud or, worse, the whole plant.

It's been a rewarding hobby that I'm enjoying a lot. Thank you for the advice and encouragement!