Dendrobium Speciosum Advice

[josh91793]

Hello all orchid boarders! Within about the last year I aquired a dendrobium Speciosum. I have had it for about eleven months. I have taken pretty good care of it. The water wasn't very consistent over the winter, but from what I understand, they are supposed to have the water cut back during the winter. So here is the current status of this plant. It is a juvenile so it's growth is pretty minimal. Is this normal? The root growth is also pretty minimal also. It has probably put out 4-6 new roots in the year or so that I have had it. Is this normal? I know that juvenile dendrobiums are not supposed to grow a whole lot during the first few years of growing, but i have also read that they are supposed to take off a few years after being started. I have had it over my turtle tank so that the humidity stays at a constant high level. It stays in a mostly sunny place. Definitely not direct sunlight, but it is pretty light. Coupled with my turtle light I think it is prettt adequate. So in the first picture, you can see the overrall plant. On the second picture, you can see that there is a new growth on the bottom right. I hope this is doing good for being so young. Any tips on how to get it to begin to realy thrive are extremely appreciated!!! Thanks all!!!!

[keithrs]

I grow my seedling with my other specimen plants in FS under 55% shade cloth. My seedling is about your size. I didn't water at all during the winter but got watered by rain. Should double in size every year. They are very heavy feeders. They do take several years before they bloom. I just had two thats about 10 years old that bloomed for the first time this year.

[stefpix]

I wonder if it may grow faster with higher light. Maybe put it outside with morning sun?

[smweaver]

Josh, this species does require a lot of light, so Stefano's advice is worth taking: morning sun would be especially beneficial (increase the light levels gradually over a few weeks so that the plant has time to adjust; if you place it in direct sunlight when it's not been given time to get used to the higher intensity light, it will burn). This species also likes a very porous medium, so if you have it growing in a bark mix that's either rotted, or something like sphagnum that holds lots of water, try finding something that's a little more open. I have several plants of this species, the largest of which is growing in nothing but large chunks of crushed bricks that had been discarded by a construction company, and the plant loves it. Smaller seedlings, like the one you have, often take a little while to get going. So don't be discouraged by slow growth rates. Den. speciosum is notorious for taking a long time to reach adulthood. If you don't want to wait a decade to see flowers, try contacting Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, Cal Orchid or Andy's Orchids, all of which carry different varieties of Dendrobium speciosum in larger sizes. Good luck!

Steve

[Roy]

Treating this tiny seedling as you would a mature plant is wrong. Keeping it in good light but ease off the watering in winter unless you are growing it in a warm climate green house. Yes, these plants can take 10 years to flower, mainly due to the grower mismanagement. Keep the plant growing as fast as you can, it will respond well. Again, don't over water if its growing cold. Remember, this is a plant from a tropical area that will grow cold and the warmer the conditions in the early years the better.