Care and Expectations for Dendrobium bigibbum / Vappodes phalaenopsis

[DanielBear]

In February, my coworker gave me a keiki from her orchid . She brought the plant in to work, and with a web search I decided it was a Cooktown orchid. She told me she rescued this from a friend. I don't know how someone gets hold of Cooktown orchids, they seem uncommon here. The flowers and canes looked very much like web photos of that species, although the plant was small, about 6 inches tall in bloom.

I planted the keiki in a commercial bark-based orchid mix, and have been watering it with the weakly-weekly method using Schultz Orchid food, 19:31:17 with 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of rainwater.

After about 2 months of adapting (or dormancy?) it's been growing nicely, the original 3 inch tall keiki is now more than a foot tall, and a new growth has emerged at the soil level and is larger than the original start . - It looks a lot like a reedstem epidendrum but some of the web pics also look like that. It is in a South window that does not get noon sun.

It's hard to find much about growing this orchid outside Australia. It's growing great as far as vegetative growth. I'm wondering if I should make some changes to encourage bloom, or if it's too young to expect bloom for another year? Should I quit the fertilizer, and if so, when?

Thanks for any advice.

[WhiteRabbit]

Den-phal care - bright light, allow to dry slightly between waterings, warm to hot temps.
IOSPE says they want a "moderate" winter rest

IOSPE PHOTOS

I'm sure others can offer more specific advice - mine's growing well, but hasn't bloomed yet ...

[RosieC]

I grow mine with my Phals in the same conditions, but a little bit more light.

I was previously told that they don't need a winter rest and mine have not had one so far and the oldest (I've had it a couple of years) has rebloomed each year and grows new canes ever year as well.

Having said I don't give a winter rest, I do water by when they need it and I think they naturally seem to need less water in the winter and they will naturally get less light because I grow in natural light.

[calvin_orchidL]

It is unlikely that your plant is dendrobium bigibbum - was it an unlabeled plant that you identified based upon photos? I suspect it is likely a hybrid, as that species is not commonly available. There are many similar pink dendrobium hybrids, most of which can be grown similarly.

The advice already posted is good. No dormancy needed, but may go into semi-dormancy during the winter if light levels and temperatures drop significantly enough. Grow in small containers - these like the be root bound. Otherwise, warm, bright light (you can give these direct sun actually, although gradually) and water just when dry (more when actively growing). Good luck with your plant

[WhiteRabbit]

Calvin - I got mine from Andy's last year, and have seen them on a few vendor's websites - someone I know was looking for one (I think I got the last one from Andy's last spring lol) - so I did some looking around - seems not a lot of vendors were selling them, but I found a couple ...
Tho re-reading the original post I do see what you mean ...
I also have a Den. Mini Zengyo, blooms looks very similar to bigibbum ... so yeah, it's possible OP's plant is a hybrid as well ...

[calvin_orchidL]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

Calvin - I got mine from Andy's last year, and have seen them on a few vendor's websites - someone I know was looking for one (I think I got the last one from Andy's last spring lol) - so I did some looking around - seems not a lot of vendors were selling them, but I found a couple ...
Tho re-reading the original post I do see what you mean ...
I also have a Den. Mini Zengyo, blooms looks very similar to bigibbum ... so yeah, it's possible OP's plant is a hybrid as well ...

Good point WR :-) I am just generally skeptical when it comes to identifying NOIDs. In my experience, unlabelled plants tend to be hybrids rather than species, particularly with widely hybridized genera like dendrobium and phals. But I could be wrong of course.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by calvin_orchidL

Good point WR :-) I am just generally skeptical when it comes to identifying NOIDs. In my experience, unlabelled plants tend to be hybrids rather than species, particularly with widely hybridized genera like dendrobium and phals. But I could be wrong of course.

I would agree with you there ...
anyway, sounds like care would be about the same regardless for this ?

[RosieC]

I would agree that an unlabled Den Phal type is far more likely to be a hybrid rather than the actual species. There are a lot of unknown hybrids in this area, just like Phals.