Dendrobium aberrans in 2008

[Ross]

This year's bloom is much larger than last year's. I have two plants in thumb pots and one large one mounted. This year the mounted plant has bloomed on three pseudobulbs. These guys can, and do, often rebloom on leafless old pseudobulbs. The mount is hung right below the t5 lights and gets 12 hours at 1800-2000 foot-candles. This intensity is really hard on the leaves, but the plant is doing well so far.



These three pseudobulbs are old backbulbs with at least one leaf. Right above the right-hand flower spike you can see an old spike on a leafless pseudobulb. Next to it is a new, slow-to-develop spike hard to see in this photo.

Thanks for looking.

[cb977]

Ross, you're doing a wonderful job with them!

[shakkai]

Beautiful, Ross! Hopefully, now that mine is 'on its own' and I can give it the conditions it wants, I'll get better bloom next year. I've put mine in a little pot - how do your's in pots compare to this one?

[Ross]

Originally Posted by shakkai

Beautiful, Ross! Hopefully, now that mine is 'on its own' and I can give it the conditions it wants, I'll get better bloom next year. I've put mine in a little pot - how do your's in pots compare to this one?

They are less robust. They grow fine, in fact normally put out psedubulbs topped with three leaves, not two, but I have not been able to get them to spike again after last year. A few months ago I increased the light output of the t5's by changing fixtures. I now get approx 150% of the light I was getting and the leaves show it. Perhaps this will be the trigger? Don't know.

[shakkai]

Thanks, Ross! I'll pay attention to the light this one gets. I don't think it got very strong light this year (our winter light is very weak...) and one out of three pseudobulbs flowered. Its presently growing a new pseudobulb, so we'll see what it does next year!

[Ross]

Originally Posted by shakkai

Thanks, Ross! I'll pay attention to the light this one gets. I don't think it got very strong light this year (our winter light is very weak...) and one out of three pseudobulbs flowered. Its presently growing a new pseudobulb, so we'll see what it does next year!

By the way, you should get multiple pseudobulbs. I get new ones before the last ones mature, lots of times. One pot has 8 bulbs and other has 10. The mount only has 7 bulbs, but they are bigger. The pots each have at least one new pseudobulb on the way.

[shakkai]

At the moment, I'm just astounded that its growing one - and that its flowered. It was growing and being cared for as a Den. tetragonum, its been pulled out and separated from the tetragonum, and its still keeps growing. One tough little plant!

[linda_shel]

Great display it is putting on for you.

[calvin_orchidL]

Beautiful mini-dend - this one's a cutie

[gmdiaz]

Were you having trouble blooming at lower light levels?

The blooms are gorgeous!