Den. spectabile and Den. aphyllum Blooms on the Horizon

[Junebug]

This will be the first time my spectabile has bloomed. I've had it for about 1 1/2 years. I'm soooo excited. I'm also a little concerned. Notice the reddish brown pigmentation on her pseudobulbs. Maybe too much sunlight? You'd think too much light would also cause the leaves to suffer, but they look great. I checked out the roots and they look good too.

My Dendrobium aphyllum has produced a few buds. There's not too many of them, but, hey, they're there. New growth and keikis too. Two years ago this poor plant had been reduced to only one cane. It's gradually made a comeback though.

It's beginning to look like I might have 2 aphyllums. A friend gave me this smaller unidentified specimen last fall. At the time it's leaves and canes looked identical to my aphyllum, and it was growing potted in decayed media. I thought it might be happier growing on a tree fern mount. This one has a few buds too.

[gnathaniel]

Nice work! Two very cool species.

I wouldn't worry too much about the pigmentation of the pseudobulbs, your spectabile looks mighty healthy in every way. I think it's in section Latouria, and a lot of other Latourias I've seen have that kind of coloration even when grown in low light.

I wish my aphyllum was budding out for me. I seem to be getting nothing but keikis so far... Oh well, that just means more opportunities for blooms next year, right?

--Nat