Why is my dendrobium doing this?? - Orchid Board

Ethan · #1 01-29-2009, 04:49 PM

The newes cane on my NOID Dend. started growing a little over a month ago. It started out fine - growing just like a good little cane should..

A couple weeks ago it started growing sideways. At first I thought it had to do with the lighting so I turned it so the bend was bending AWAY from the light thinking it would straighten back up. Well, it didn't...it got worse. Now I'm noticing the new leaves coming out look kind of funny.

Any guesses by looking at the photos? Oh, and FYI - the picture makes the leaves look kind of yellow, but they aren't they are nice and green - just bad lighting when I took the photos, I guess...

Thanks in advance!!

quiltergal · #2 01-29-2009, 05:00 PM

That's weird looking Ethan!

It doesn't look like it's developing the way it should. It's like the cane part stopped growing and the leaves are stacking up one on top of the other instead of being more spaced out. Is it getting regular water?

Ethan · #3 01-29-2009, 05:13 PM

Hi, Terri - Thanks for the reply. It is weird, I've never seen anything like it. And you described perfectly what it seems to be doing.

I did forget to mention - nothing has changed in it's culture or environment. I haven't moved it, I water 1-2 times per week, only when dry. Humidity is a constant 60-80%...it can't be getting too much sun because I can count on one hand the days of sunshine we've had this month. I have another dend. sitting only a foot away with a cane that has just finished growing completely normally.

Ethan · #4 01-30-2009, 09:05 AM

Does anyone have any thoughts on this or ever experienced this???

Sandy4453 · #5 01-30-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quiltergal

That's weird looking Ethan!

It doesn't look like it's developing the way it should. It's like the cane part stopped growing and the leaves are stacking up one on top of the other instead of being more spaced out. Is it getting regular water?

My thoughts exactly, Terri. It's as if the canes growth was stunted but, the leaves, weren't.

Ethan, I wouldn't worry. I think it's just one of those interesting things about orchid growing, these genetic "flaws" or curiosities that keep us guessing. So long as it remains firm, I'd let it be. It'll be interesting to see how the new canes grow and the spikes you get off of this one.

orchid-eric · #6 01-30-2009, 06:53 PM

The only thing I can think of would be growing toward a light source. But since you said it's not that, I have no idea. Good luck with your investigation and let us know the results.

Eric

Ethan · #7 01-30-2009, 07:17 PM

thanks, eric.

I'm glad to see everyone is as stumped as I am...I think...

hehe

Well...I will update with more photos if anything changes later on. The previous cane is almost 3 ft. high...this new one is about 6 in. so it will be interesting to see what is going to happen. I can't imagine a 4 foot horizontal cane!!

Junebug · #8 01-30-2009, 07:47 PM

Hey Ethan,

That's some weird lookin' stuff goin' on there. It almost looks as though the cane is trying to produce another cane.

Do you remember bumping the plant into anything or has it fallen over in the last few months? If so, it may have gotten cracked in that swollen area below the leaves. One of my Dends. pseudos cracked at the base of a fresh cane last year. I didn't realize it had happened until several weeks later when the leaves began to look stunted. Mine was broken pretty bad.

I eventually lost the cane, but the plant quickly replaced it with another,

aaaand that cane is getting ready to bloom any day now.

Ethan · #9 01-31-2009, 09:03 AM

Hey, Junebug....nope - can't remember bumping into it or having it fall or anything. That's a good thought though. I will inspect it today to see if there are any cracks - I don't remember seeing any, but I will inspect it closer.

I'm glad yours survived! It's amazing how resilient those little orchids are, isn't it???

Junebug · #10 01-31-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethan

Hey, Junebug....nope - can't remember bumping into it or having it fall or anything. That's a good thought though. I will inspect it today to see if there are any cracks - I don't remember seeing any, but I will inspect it closer.

I'm glad yours survived! It's amazing how resilient those little orchids are, isn't it???

I agree. Orchids are amazingly resilient...particularly this one. Let me tell you the whole story. This time last year this Dend. had a beautiful spike. I decided to show her off and placed her at the front of my house where she promptly suffered a severe case of sunburn.

The spike remained healthy. When our temperatures dropped I moved her into the house. While doing so her mature spike got snapped off.

Eventually she was returned to her original location. Her leaves were badly damaged and I was relieved when she began producing a new cane, but as luck would have it, a small breeze toppled her off the plant rack...numerous times.

Other nearby plants were not affected by the breeze...only this poor suffering one.

It was a few weeks after her multiple spills that her leaves began looking odd and it was then that I discovered the broken cane.

I expected her to become ravished by bacteria, but she promptly produced a replacement cane. Her other canes were old and leafless so I really didn't expect to see her bloom any time soon. Orchids are full of surprises though.

These are photos that were taken this morning.

Hopefully I can prevent my accident prone baby from suffering any future setbacks.