Is my Dendrobium dying?

[sohara]

I received a Dendrobium as a gift and since then it has been steadily declining. It has 2 stems and lost all of the flowers on one and all but 2 on the other. The remaining 2 are wilted and will probably drop off soon. The leaves are dark green but a little droopy. In the last day, the stem with the remaining flowers has begun to turn brown starting with the tip.

I have been watering it weekly, and allowing it to dry between waterings. At one point it might have been getting a bit too much light - close to the windowsill on a north facing window. At the moment it is getting indirect light from a north facing window.

I'm an orchid newbie and I don't know if I'm doing something wrong. I hope that someone can offer some advice to help me save this plant.

Thanks!
-Shana

[Lorraine]

Hi Shana,

Welcome to Orchid Board

If you can post a few pictures that would help. There are many different types of dens. If you have a name that might help too. What type of potting medium is it in? Watering weekly and drying out between is good but are you sure that it is dry? Depending on what your chid is planted in it might still be too moist in the middle. That is something to consider. I'm sure there are members who grow indoors that will have more info for you. Another thought is that when you got your gift it had been in bloom for quite a while and maybe was at the end of the blooming time and it will loose the blooms like you have described and turn brown at the ends.

[Mirranova]

Hi I don't think that close to a North facing window would be too much light, it's probably not enough light. I keep mine outside hanging in a tree in the summer, and they are getting full sunlight in the morning and the afternoon, bright filtered light in the middle of the day. I suspect that it probably is getting too much water, and definitely not enough light. Dark green is a signal that it wants more light, and drooping suggests root loss. You should probably check the condition of the roots. Black or squishy (technical term) could mean that it needs a repot, the bad roots cut, and some peroxide to clean the remaining roots up. If you are going to give it more light, wean it gradually to more light to prevent leaf burn.

Whew, all that aside, if you could provide a pic, it definitely would tell more about the condition. It could very well prove me wrong. Hope that helps.