den cucullatum [aphyllum]: new growth. to water or not to water??

[rastafouni]

Hi Stephano and Nancy,

Stephano I am agree, I think that your plant is going to bloom. Because keikis don't appear at almost every nodes like what seems to happen to your plant. But flowers do.
If the plant blooms, then you can water a bit more to allow flowers to last long.
In fact, it is a bit difficult to give you advice because we are growing in very different environment. I grow in all year round humid and hot climate. But I am agree with Nancy ,do not water them during "rest" period. Do it only if the canes get dry.
Those kind of Dendro grows every year new long cane. it is very difficult to say how long last flowers because it depends on so many factors. One in very important anyway : more temperatures are high, less the flowers last.
Nancy, no I didn't germinate the plants myself. Maybe one day...

[stefpix]

Nancy and Philippe
thanks for your opinions.

if I leave the heat on and the window closed on a cold day I can get 90 F / 33 C near the radiator.

If I keep the radiator off for a day it can get to 60 / 65 [18 C]. there is no way to turn it on half way.

The aphyllum is close to the window far from the radiator. Humidity can be 10 to 30 % in the winter.

I think in these conditions if i leave bone dry the plants would die. I heard someone from the GNYOS saying the same.

That totally dry rest is great when the temperatures can get lower then in an urban apartment.

For me maybe makes sense to rest these plants as I did in the late fall before the heat kicks in and the temperatures drop and the humidity is around 50/60%.

Anyway the purple growth is getting visibly longer at every node...

Nancy if you want to do some trade I think in NYC area the temperature is going to be in the 40s and 50s this week. I think it is fine for sending plants especially if kept dry... I live in a building and they leave packages in the heated hallway or sometimes i pick them up at the post office.

[wonderlen3000]

Den. amphyllum is a very warmth tolerent. It depends on where the plant grow. In higher elevation, the plant totally shed the leave before it bloom. In low elevation, the plant will partially shed the leave or not at all and will still send out the bloom on the cane on the upper half. The plant tend to send out bloom along the entire lenght of the cane, if it had dry cooler rest. Normally I keep mine totally dry, and only water when i see the cane is shrivel up abit. That will be about every 3 or 4 weeks or so.
In the wild, even the climate has cool dry winter, the plants still get moisture from the morning dew and evening mist, so it's not totally bone dry like peoples believe.

[stefpix]

Thanks - that is what I assume.

One thing is to be dry in a tropical area with dew and probably 70% humidity and cool nights,

another thing is to be dry in an urban apartment with temp ranging from 65 to 85 F and 20% of winter humidity...