Is this Dendrobium x delicatum (or a hybrid with ?)

[Blueszz]

Hi everyone,
I need your help.

I bought this Dendrobium, which smells like honey. The seller in the garden center thought it was Den. kingianum x Den. delicatum but wasn't sure about it. (He grows orchids himself)

I'm tried to find out if it really is kingianum x delicatum but I get the feeling it could be pure Dendrobium x delicatum?

Here are two pictures.





I'll make a better close up of the flower when I have some natural sun light.

I smelled this orchid Saturday and the smell was stronger than from Dendrobium Berry Oda, which is a Den. kingianum hybrid - but both smell honey like.]

What is your opinion on this orchid? Any suggestions for cultivation? Grow it as Den. kingianum but with probably even more light during the rest period?

Nicole

[WhiteRabbit]

Hi Nicole!

Dendrobium x delicatum, although once regarded as a pure species is now accepted as a natural hybrid between D.kingianum and D.tarberi (the latter also being known as D.speciosum var.hillii).

Dendrobium x delicatum

culture is as for kingianum

lovely orchid! I just got one also - tho much smaller lol

[Blueszz]

Do you think it's Den. x delicatum???
Woooooow....

How do the canes of yours look like?

[WhiteRabbit]

Mine is a very small division - tho canes look about the same as the smaller ones on your plant.

[Blueszz]

An update!
Berry Oda has a label of Fransen Orchideeën. This NOID had a label from Cameleon Ocrhideeën. Fransen is part of the Cameleon Group.
Why am I telling you all this?

I took the phone and called to Fransen to ask what they recently mislabeled as Den. Berry Oda.
They knew immediatly what I meant, it was a plant from a nursery next door and he said it's Den. kingianum. So problem seems solved.

Now I have a problem: I have a pink Den. Berry Oda but he said there is also a white variety. I don't have that white variety. I'm on the hunt again!

They were very friendly. He asked me how I was going to culture it because I didn't sound like someone who was going to throw it away after it finished blooming LOL - got the info from them first hand.

Nicole

[Roy]

The plant and flowers look like a Den. x Delicatum which is kingianum x speciosum. It is impossible to tell whether this D. taberi rubbish was used or not. The cross has been man made for decades with a multitude of kingianums and speciosums. Even for the natural hybrid form no-one really knows which ??speciosum?? whatever was the parent.
BTW, your plant needs repotting urgently BUT use a pot atleast 2 sizes up from what it is in now.
You also grow it as for kingianum and the way yours is growing I would try to follow the same method.

[Blueszz]

Thank you Roy for yout input and information. Whatever the plant is, I l love it! For culture requirements it doens't make too much of a difference.

I'll follow your advise and repot it. Yesterday I tried to get a skewer into the pot, to find out how moist the media is. Forget it, I couldn't get the skewer into the medium. Too root bound.
I'll unpot this baby tonight, might just cut the plastic pot it is in away, it will be the easiest way to free the plant :-)

Nicole

[Blueszz]

Well, repotting this one is a nightmare
I had to break the pot away before I could inspect the root mass. still on my camera. Roots looked good to me on first inspection. The medium also still looked good to me. I have the same orchid mix in bags (from the same nursery) so I know what fresh mix looks like.
Even after soaking the plant for what seemed ages, I couldn't remove the older medium. The roots held it tightly. With a stick I worked me towards the center (and up) of the 'pot' and I noticed that in the center the medium also still was in good shape. I decided not to detangle the rootball this time as I certainly would damage it.
I upgraded the pot size (clay pot, soaked before use) and tugged it in with the same medium the grower used.

Now I'm on doubt: next time it will be even harder to undo this baby from his old medium. On the other hand, there was active root growth but not much. I think it's wiser to wait with detangling the root ball once I see new growth (considdering the good shape the medium and roots are in now).

I might give it an other season of growth before I have to refresh the medium and up-size the pot again

It went from 4.7 inch (12 cm) to 6.2 inch (16 cm) this time.

I have to make a plan for the next time I take it out of his pot. I'm puzzled how to work me thru these firm roots! Soaking didn't seem to be the trick.

Nicole

[Queenslander]

Nicole, what colour are the flowers. I have also requested a genus name for my dendrobium on another link. My little flower is very much like yours, pale mauve, with purple on tips of sepals, green/yellow in throat and tiny purple spots on the lip. But my canes are not as thick as your orchid

[Blueszz]

Hi Queenslander,
Sorry, I don't understand you question. You want to know what color the flowers from mine are? I still can see the picture I uploaded, you not?

Nicole