Is this a dendobium? If so, which group?

[nutgirl]

King,

This plant was a freebie from a private party labelled "dendrobium". The "buds" are looking more and more like keikis.

Until I get more indications of what this is, I think I'll go along with Melissa's suggestion. I'll treat it like a hybrid dendrobium and just to be on the safe side I'll try a winter rest. (Thanks for the info Melissa)

Maureen

[shadytrake]

Those look like buds to me. Also since it seems to be actively growing/budding maybe not so severe winter rest?

I would definitely spritz the roots a bit (if in semi/hydro) or spritz the medium to keep it from totally drying out.

Also to note: Hybrids "may" be able to take a wider variation of care.

If it were mine, I would spritz it (no fertilizer or extremely weak solution if you must).

I would put it in the bright section of my greenhouse with the temps at 57-60 night; 62-67 day. (depends on the outside temps as my GH is not a TRUE GH - converted shadehouse).

Good luck - Please take photos when it blooms. I'm betting those are buds.

[gnathaniel]

Ditto to everything Melissa said. Your plant very closely resembles some of the hybrids I've seen involving unicum and moniliforme; the nodes and old whitened leaf bracts are a good giveaway. Some of the Formosae appear similar but your plant doesn't look all fuzzy. It also looks like you've got several old dead inflorescences coming out of nodes in the manner of section Dendrobium.

Those new growths certainly look like blooms a-comin'! Within a few weeks you should see them elongating and separating into 2-3+ individual buds. You may be able to roughly estimate flower count now by looking at the number of bud nodes on the old spikes...

I tend to keep watering all of my section Dendrobium plants throughout the winter at about one quarter the summer rate, so right now I'm watering (with plain water) about once every 1-2 weeks give or take. They're mostly mounted or very potbound so they dry rapidly. If the canes don't shrivel I water even less or not at all, and conversely more if I see heavy shriveling.

No winter fertilizer (and during the warmer months I use low-Nitrogen), cool temperatures, and substantial drying at this time of year seem to be the key stimuli to initiate and realize good flower production. Some species in this group are a lot more or less forgiving of their particular climatic likes, and as Melissa said hybrids are generally most forgiving of all.

Good luck, and please let us see the results when it blooms!

--Nat

[nutgirl]

Thank you so much, Melissa and Nat!!!!!

I'm impatiently waiting to see what develops and will definitely send pictures.


Maureen

[nutgirl]

Hi,

This one has now bloomed.

If I can get information on the species or hybrid or type, I'd be thrilled.


Thanks,
Maureen

[Erce]

1111

[gands]

Nice flowers for a noid! We all have some of those!

[gnathaniel]

Originally Posted by nutgirl

Hi,

This one has now bloomed.

If I can get information on the species or hybrid or type, I'd be thrilled.


Thanks,
Maureen

Nice one, Maureen! Any fragrance detectable yet?

Hard to say what exactly it is, aside from a hybrid involving section Dendrobium (ie 'nobile type'). These have been extensively hybridized for over a century and some may be 10+ generations from a species in certain directions of their lineage. I think some also have contributions from sections Callista, Formosae and maybe others, making exact ID of an unlabeled plant pretty difficult...

Just based on bloom color and plant size I'd guess that the ancestry is predominantly moniliforme. Does the lip have kind of a 'pouchy' shape? That could also be a good clue to ancestry. The only species with that kind of lip that immediately comes to mind is moschatum, but I think there are a few others. It's also possible this is a recessive trait in some species that comes out in a hybrid even if not evident in the parents. I'll look through some books tonight to see if anything else jumps out at me... Thanks for posting the pictures!

--Nat

[nutgirl]

Originally Posted by gnathaniel

Nice one, Maureen! Any fragrance detectable yet?

Hard to say what exactly it is, aside from a hybrid involving section Dendrobium (ie 'nobile type'). These have been extensively hybridized for over a century and some may be 10+ generations from a species in certain directions of their lineage. I think some also have contributions from sections Callista, Formosae and maybe others, making exact ID of an unlabeled plant pretty difficult...

Just based on bloom color and plant size I'd guess that the ancestry is predominantly moniliforme. Does the lip have kind of a 'pouchy' shape? That could also be a good clue to ancestry. The only species with that kind of lip that immediately comes to mind is moschatum, but I think there are a few others. It's also possible this is a recessive trait in some species that comes out in a hybrid even if not evident in the parents. I'll look through some books tonight to see if anything else jumps out at me... Thanks for posting the pictures!

--Nat

Hi Nat,

Yes, the fragrance is getting more noticable as it blooms. A nice sweet smell.

I looked up moschatum but it doesn't have the same lip. I'm sure you're right about it being a hybrid.
It seems to bloom on leafless canes, the ones with leaves (I assume they are last years) are putting out new canes.

I will use the "lots of water, warmth and fertilizer" method this summer and cut back next winter. It was grown pretty dry by it's previous owner.

Thanks for the info!

Maureen