dendrobium kingianum - Orchid Board

Call_Me_Bob · #1 08-02-2010, 01:41 PM

i got this den. from a friend. i know NOTHING about it. he told me that they are hard to et to bloom. is this true? i looked up some culture pages and got some good info, except non really said how much light they like.

any tips or experiences are welcome

ps. i know its not big enough to bloom

WhiteRabbit · #2 08-02-2010, 05:24 PM

cool and slightly dry in winter I believe - mine hasn't yet bloomed tho ...
tho I wouldn't recommend "dry" for babies - probably best to just let them approach dry in-between watering

Call_Me_Bob · #3 08-02-2010, 05:45 PM

okay, thanks! do you know exactly how cool?

Izzie · #4 08-02-2010, 06:38 PM

SBOE has a good culture sheet here: Growing Guides from Santa Barbara Orchid Estate
It's the one that is linked on their kingianum page.

Connie Star · #5 08-02-2010, 08:41 PM

I just got mine to bloom! Den kingianum 'Roy'
They are small plants. Mine is in a 2.5" pot.

cneos · #6 08-02-2010, 08:57 PM

I will try to find the link for Wilford Neptune's culture sheet for kingianum especially useful for people growing in New England

camille1585 · #7 08-02-2010, 09:00 PM

For a baby like that I usually skip the cool dry winter so that the plants keep growing and are a good size to bloom the following year. In a year a little keiki like that can put out quite a few new growths.

Then the key to getting them to bloom is to keep them in bright light in the winter (ie, full sun at our chilly latitudes), temperature around 40°F, and water only every 3-4 weeks. My problem is that I have nowhere cool enough for all my kingianums. Last year I managed to keep them outside in the sun until late november and ended up with 1 spike. Better than nothing, but I'm trying to find a solution for this winter.