Dendrobium Primulinum

[orchidsarefun]

from the Bakers'

FLOWERS: 1-2 per inflorescence. The very showy flowers are 2-3 in. (4-8 cm) across. The narrow sepals and petals may be purple, mauve, rose-pink, or white with rose at the tips. They contrast sharply with the yellow lip. The large, downy lip is shaped like a flared trumpet with a fringe along the margin. It may be pale cream-yellow or bright primrose-yellow. The throat is tinged with dark red or purple near the base. The strong fragrance reminds some of cowslips. Blossoms last 1-2 weeks

[orchidsarefun]

update. 2 new growths.
Seems to like this spot. I fertilise it with extended release fertiliser granules.

[RosieC]

[orchidsarefun]

I don't know what to make of this orchid. It lost all its leaves back in March 2014. I put it outside in May, hoping that it would bloom........or grow. Top dressed with dynagro extended release granules and bloodmeal. Nothing for months.
Until earlier in the week - I noticed flower buds developing on the one stem. And still no leaves ! No leaves for 5 months must mean that the stems are photosynthesising and supplying nutrients, together with roots and the fertiliser ? This normally is literally covered in leaves.
A spring bloomer has turned into a late summer bloomer in a year.



took another closer look - at least 3 other stems are showing bud activity. OrchidWiz shows 1 bloom in August, the rest in early Spring. I would have preferred it that way - dormancy in Winter, leaf growth in Spring - because now I have a problem in deciding where to put it indoors in a couple months. Buds look to be developing off the new growth only.

[Brooke]

The primulinum only blooms on last years canes, the rest of the bald canes only provide energy and take years to dry up to be cut off. Once leafless you will never have leaves on the canes. All future growths will produce leaves, then after several months of being dry in the winter, the blooms appear.

Are you giving the pot any moisture during the dry period? In their habitat they do receive morning dew. I am surprised it didn't lose all the leaves until March. Mine usually blooms about that time plus starts the new growth at the same time.

What kind of light are you giving it year round?

Hopefully with the late leaf loss the new growths will pop up as it starts to bloom. If that happens, give it plenty of light and fertilizer to try to get big growths to help it get through the dry period.

Brooke

[orchidsarefun]

during Winter I only watered roughly 1x per week - kept very dry. The canes lost very little foliage in this dry period.
Hopefully I see new cane growth soon.
I meant to say that the buds are forming on last year's growth, my "new" growth - as old growth doesn't appear to rebloom, unlike some other dendrobiums.

[Brooke]

Good luck with it - hope it pops new growth soon. You are correct, old canes do not rebloom.

Brooke

[orchidsarefun]

update - in bloom. I brought it indoors to try and keep the blooms open longer. Only a single tiny new growth - hopefully there are more to come.

[Bud]

Beautiful flowers=you also have the pink/lavender variation....mine have also just bloomed....

[orchidsarefun]

I found a keiki today, hidden amongst the hanging stems !
This is still in an unshaded south-facing window and the only thing different is an ultrasonic humidifier that is on 24/7. I don't even water regularly, so this is a pleasant surprise. No indication of any others........and other stems are really looking shrivelled now. However the 3 new growths are doing really well and I also see new root growth everywhere.



this is an interesting blog entry and mentions primulinum too. I think I will try his suggestion in a few months - leaving the keiki attached to the stem and planting the keiki...

Ricardo's Blog, orchids, parrots, fish and people: Dendrobium keiki, What causes them to appear?