Dendrobium Genting Royale loaded with keikis - Orchid Board

dial15 · #1 10-09-2024, 12:37 AM

I purchased the Den Genting Royale at New England Botanical Garden Orchid Show March 2024. I repotted it and within a few months the canes dropped leaves and I thought it was a goner. New roots started at the base of the canes and as you can see in the pics new canes are emerging. Only one of the keikis started higher about 2.5 inches above the media. I am planning on leaving most of the keikis attached. Maybe breaking one off and planting into its own pot. I am inclined to keep the orchid in this pot at least until it flowers before repotting. Does this sound like a good practice? It is in small bark and charcoal in a plastic orchid pot (lots of holes) nestled into some sphagnum moss at the bottom of a ceramic orchid pot with lots of holes.

estación seca · #2 10-09-2024, 03:43 AM

This is a hybrid involving species in the antelope and phalaenopsis group. They want to be evenly warm and moist all year, with bright light. Premature leaf drop occurs when they dry out too long or get too cold.

The time to repot is when new roots are just forming, 1-2 millimeters long. Longer roots will be damaged repotting and set back the plant.

Dens. pushing new growth should not go dry. In pots with holes they will need frequent watering, unless your relative humidity is very high. What are your growing conditions?

dial15 · #3 10-09-2024, 10:13 PM

Thanks for the valuable info. I was trying to find out what category of dendrobium the Genting Royale is but the only info I could find was that it was hybrid. The orchid had definitely dried out in the gift shop which was why I repotted it pretty quickly this past March. Regarding the keikis, I wasn't sure if the plant wanted its roots in media or might be more like and oncidium or maxillaria with roots in the air on new pseudobulbs.
I'll take your advice on repotting now instead of later. When I repot is it best to break off the 'in the air' keikis and cover the roots and also repot the keikis at the base still attached to the old canes but in a larger pot where they can sink their roots? Right now I am watering weekly and misting once or twice a day. all roots have green tips.