This Dendrobium nobile hybrid blooms like crazy!

[DanielBear]

I always feel intimidated regarding orchid culture - when to water, how much light, what to feed and when. But I try anyway because they are so beautiful! I figure that, if 1/4 of the plants that I try actually thrive and bloom, that's a success. So I try a variety of varieties.

I have 4 varieties of Dendrobium nobile. Two are NOID that seem to match photos in the Yamamoto Dendrobium site, and two that had tags and are also Yamamoto-type. I try to follow the instructions for them as close as I can - full sun in the summer, now cool dry and bright, outdoors in my yard, in a suburb of Portland Oregon where it's getting into the 40 and 50s at night currently.

Except this one. This NOID variety appears to be Fancy Angel "Lycee", although I can't be sure. It only matters if someone wants one like it, I suppose. It was blooming when I bought it in January, then bloomed again in May, and it's blooming like crazy now, much more than when I bought it! I'm so psyched about this, even though I think it's the plant that knows what it's doing, and not me! I thought it was supposed to be dormant right now, but it's in full bloom instead! I take it into whatever room I happen to be in, sometimes even the bathroom, it's so cool to look at this Dendrobium that is blooming even though it's me that's growing it! (That might be an over-share!)

The other varieties, Oriental Smile "Fantasy", "Yellow song "Canary", and (tentative ID) Love Memory "Fizz" are doing what I think they are supposed to be doing, which is basically not much right now, in the cool outdoors in the sun while I'm trying not to water them and when I do, it's no fertilizer. Love Memory "Fizz" does have 2 little keikis near the bottom of an old stem, and one at the top with what appear to be near-open flower buds attached to the keiki - probably my fault for not stopping orchid food and water sooner - and the other two are about to drop some leaves, but I think that's normal for them. I hope.

Anyway, I wanted to share. Even within the same family of hybrids, it looks like there is some very different ease of growth and behavior. This NOID makes me feel like I can grow orchids

[Mikeg]

Those are superbably, unbelievably amazing!!!! Good growing!!!!!

[silken]

Amazing that it blooms so often. And so many flowers. It is gorgeous! I have the Oriental Smile 'Fantasy' and another of that type ( I forget the name at the moment) The Oriental Smile got some buds last spring and then most of them blasted and it grew some keikis. I thought I was doing what I should but maybe I watered too soon. I watered when I thought they were flower buds. Someone today told me not to water until they are actually open?? Does anyone have an opinion?

[CTB]

What a beauty, I'd carry it room to room too, if you can do it with one, it' possible with all. You now have something to really strive for. Good Growing!!

[orchidsamore]

Your NoID photo looks like Spring Dream, a Yamamoto classic.





Nobile type Dendrobium especially Yamamoto's orchids are probably the easiest orchids to grow.

I leave mine outside year round. They will tolerate Zero degrees F. Mine consistently go to the mid 20s every year.

They can take tremendous amounts of water and cutting back on watering causes problems. The only thing that seems to have a negative effect is excess nitrogen causing keiki.

I find mine will flower even when over fertilized.

Here is a more extensive discussion.

Care and culture of Nobile Type Dendrobiums

[DanielBear]

Thanks for the encouraging comments! This could be Spring Dream, it looks more like that than Fancy Angel Lycee in those illustrations. The first blooms had more color in the edges, but I understand growth conditions can affect flower color. I really wish the growers would label them, but what can I ask with an inexpensive plant?

The culture and care link is really helpful, thanks! I may go out and water the non-blooming ones tomorrow am, just plain rain-water. They are looking sad, that's more the leaves turning yellow than canes withering, and I understand it's normal due to going dormant. Still, it's hard to not-water, goes against my tendencies!

Thanks again. These are wonderful orchids for me, I love that they bloom under my conditions and are so prolific! Also the keikis are easy to start, I now have a small plant from the first keiki, maybe it will bloom in a year. That one is from the "maybe"-Love Memory Fizz