Dendrobium pierardii

[Plodde]

Hello every! Needing help with my dendrobium pierardii. Currently I have it having outside for it's winter rest on my balcony in San Francisco California. Recently it has had an average day temp of mid to low 60s F, and night temps of mid to low 50's F. Last night got down to 48F. Is this too cold for this orchid?
I have it hanging with my dendrobium unicum and dendrobium lindleyi.

[AJW]

Hi well done taking on the orchid challenge.
The Orchid Wiz program says this about your plant:ORIGIN/HABITAT: Widespread in Southeast Asia. Plants grow in southern and eastern India and the tropical valleys of Sikkim and Nepal where they are found at about 3300 ft. (1000 m). Distribution extends into Burma, southwest China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaya, and South Andaman Island. In Burma, plants grow near Moulmein in the Tenasserim Range at 500-4250 ft. (150-1300 m). In China, they are found at 3300-5900 ft. (1000-1800 m). Plants known as D. pierardii are usually found in mangrove swamps. They are normally epiphytic, but in deforested areas, they may grow lithophytically. -- Source: Charles Baker
The program also indicates that you are starting to get to the bottom end of the temp range at 47 degrees f I can only suggest keep a good eye on it if temps drop or look like dropping it will need to be shifted.

[gnathaniel]

Those temperatures are fine for this species, mine get occasional nights down to or slightly below freezing without problems. Cooler temps are actually a primary blooming cue for this species, along with somewhat drier conditions.

pierardii is currently considered an obsolete synonym of Den. aphyllum, BTW.

[AJW]

You are quite right with the name change, one has to ask what was wrong with the old one?
Not risking huge debate I know that modern DNA testing is allowing greater accuracy within the genera but if you have a lot of species there are quite a few labels to change. I grow mine in a 30% shaded hot room which never gets below 14c and my plant is thriving. I do water every couple of days. At the end of the day if a plant likes where it is leave it

[Plodde]

thank you guys for responding! i still have them hanging outside. it has been getting down to low 40'sF and they seem to be doing okay. i spray them once in awhile because they do get some early morning fog.