mini dendrobium love

[RJSquirrel]

Dendrobium laevifolium have replaced my cuthberts. cuthberts dont love me back as much.



Dendrobium Hibiki. which is laevifolium x bracteosum.

Fun to grow and relatively easy. Beginner friendly plants both of these are

Thanks for looking. the heat is on us and snails are eating everything!!! Too bad my cats dont like mini escargot.

[Dalachin]

Culture tips? My dendrobium laevifolium (a gift from @tmoney) languishes and has never rebloomed.

[dbarron]

Hibiki (for me) is even easier than laevifolium, I would recommend that of the two. And either before cuthbertii or it's children, unless you live in the US north or cooler
It's been a few years since I killed my laevifolium, but culture should be similar as Hibiki below. Yes, I umm stopped watering in a spate of 'tired of this' 4 or 5 years ago and haven't replaced it (and probably won't). It wasn't it's fault, it was mine.
Hibiki has been trouble free to grow from a 1 1/2 inch pot size with 2-4 inch culms to flowering over the last 2 or 3 years. Of note is that it only flowers on older naked culms, so that increases your wait sometimes a bit longer than you might like, but remember that the more old culms you get the more flower buds you get.
Mine is grown in a small pot (though I should repot it this summer into a 3 inch I think...too top heavy) and watered somewhat frequently (3-5 days), occassional fertilization, and high light, but little to no sun except during winter. Temperature regime would be 75 in summer down to 65 in winter (the bathroom). Fine bark possibly with a mix of 15% sphagnum would be my recommendation. It would prefer not to ever become truly dry. That's why mine lives in the window of the shower *lol*. Easy to point nozzle into window 2x a week.
Mature culms are about 10-12 inches for me. And it's been flowering since January...I don't believe a single one has moved toward falling in that time. It's kinda like a wax flower in that regard
Squirrel yours are spot on gorgeous!

[DeaC]

The color is...

[RJSquirrel]

the laevifolium lives in the magic orchid box

never gets over 75 degrees and stays around 40 45% humidity. gets heavily fogged twice a day. no rest. not much cool down at night maybe 5 degrees. Its grown in a rather tight little zone.

Took 2 years to bloom from the 1st blooming in 2023. It had only 4 or 5 canes then. They all have blooms now. This plant will have over 30 cute little purple flowers.

The hibiki stays outside and has endured 100+ heat. Comes in when its below 50 for winter rest. Gets 2 cool down sprays a day when its hot and a good heavy water 2 times a week.

good luck!!

[dbarron]

Originally Posted by RJSquirrel

the laevifolium lives in the magic orchid box

Hah, more like the climate denial box (don't blame you, some are worth cosseting). But that's why yours look so very perfect!
I'm glad you also find hibiki to be vastly more forgiving.