Dendrobium, hard/soft/care sheet?

[Lene Th.]

I bougth my first Dendrobium today, and now im trying to figure out how to care for this fellow. I understand theres different kinds of Dends, hard and soft, and theese has different needs.
Is mine a hard Dend? (And who in gods name figured out thats it is good to call a plant either hard or soft??? )
And could someone be kind to help me with a care sheet...?

Pics...

[Stasisgate]

The hard caned dens are usually the ones that grow upright like most of the hybrids we get now. Yours is a hard caned. The soft caned are the ones that eventually lean over and grow downwards... mine are decidious (drop their leaves annually). I think i'm missing something here .... oh well.

Dendrobiums love lots of light, and some can even take full sun (I got almost all of mine in the full sun). I feed regularly (once every week) and on the fourth week I don't feed. Mine seem to respond better when they dry out between watering but when they are sending out new growths water and feed em. All my dens are grown in a free draining mixture (charcoal, gravel and a little coconut chips).

Well hope that helps. I'm sure others will be able to give you lots more advice. Lovely den by the way!

[Lene Th.]

Thanks for your help! I hope i can find the rigth balance to grow it... Does this thrive in S/H, by the way?

And if anyone happens to know the name on this one, i would be extatic as well, its only labeled "Dendrobium"..

[Ross]

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...endrobium.html I always thought "hard cane" Dendros were deciduous and "soft cane" were evergreen (such as Phalenopsis type Dendros.)

[Lene Th.]

Originally Posted by Ross

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...endrobium.html I always thought "hard cane" Dendros were deciduous and "soft cane" were evergreen (such as Phalenopsis type Dendros.)

I think im totaly in over my head here... are there six types...???
And under what category would mine be placed...? One or two...?

*I belive i need a drink*

[Stasisgate]

See I knew iI was missing out something....and it turned out to be quite a lot. Now i'm really confused. I have to go check all the Dens I have now and re-classify them.

[cb977]

There is some good information on Dendrobiums and their care on this site:

Dendrobium Orchids and Grow Orchids with Bribie Island Orchid Society

[Jorch]

I thought softcane dend. (nobile types) have flowers along the stems, and hardcane dend. (phal type) have flowers that normally arise from the top (and sometimes from the top 3 nodes)??

From the pic, it looks like a hard cane phal type that loves lots of warmth, sun, and water.

[Stasisgate]

Thanx for the link susanne. Now i can solve all my dendrob problems. Who knew i was doing so many things wrong.

[cb977]

Originally Posted by Stasisgate

Thanx for the link susanne. Now i can solve all my dendrob problems. Who knew i was doing so many things wrong.

I printed out the Den portion of the site a while back and it was something like 14 pages! Full of great info...and I've also spent some time checking out the rest of their web site. I'd love to be a member of that society!