Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

In the past, I stayed away from Dendrobium because every acquisition died or their presentation without blooms was not appealing, or they were too big to fit in my grow space. Last summer I came across Dendrobium moniliforme. I studied their culture and tried to provide their requirements. These are such forgiving plants. After a winter of small, pencil thin canes, they have started to sprout leaves.

Because of this limited success I started to look for other Dendrobium that might be as easy to grow as D.moniliforme: small in stature; pleasing to look at--without blooms; and easy to grow. I found these three Dendrobium on eBay and was able to win them at auction.

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Dendrobium lichenastrum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3814/...43090eca_b.jpg
Dendrobium jenkinsii by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3780/...a0cccfd3_b.jpg
Dendrobium speciosum v. pendunculatum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

The plant and photos come from eBay vendor cgaxquai. I have bought plants from him a year ago, so I was comfortable that he was a reliable source, plus he received niknik's endorsement.

Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

Nice purchases! I have aprox. 80 den species including all the ones you've mentioned. Moniliformes are pretty forgiving. I have maybe a dozen, half in bloom right now. Good light, ease up greatly on watering in winter and they are happy. Linchenastrum I water year round, bright light. Jenkinsii I give a winters rest with bright light. Your Speciosum v. pedunculatum appears to need to grow some before it will bloom. I ease up watering in winter til I see new growth and then resume regular watering. Your plants look very healthy. I think you'll love growing them v

Wow, Matt they all look fantastic! I look forward to watching how you do with them. Dendrobiums are beautiful, but I tend to admire them from afar, because they don't grow well for me. Congrats on your new plants!

I have a speciosum pedunculatum myself, and while it was in my cold room about 3" from a T5HO bulb the new growth was more burgundy than green. Now that it's in warmer conditions, but lower light it's reverted back to green, but I can't wait to be able to work it into full sun outdoors!

Wow they r all very nice.

My Dendrobium haven't arrived. In the meantime I'm enjoying this Dendrobium reflexitepalum. Picture and plant came from incredible orchids, aka Seattle Orchids. It doesn't look like a typical Dendrobium.

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2809/...881c80ec_b.jpg
Dendrobium reflexitepalum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

I bought this Dendrobium pendulatum 02/03/14 at my orchid society meeting. Our guest lecturer was Alex Chalmers, AOS judge, and freelance orchid vendor. This is what it looked like when I brought it home. Notice it had some yellowing leaves.

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Dendrobium pendulum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

Two months later, this is how it looks. The leaves have all dropped, replaced with flowers.

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Dendrobium pendulatum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

Here is a close up of the flowers. You can see little green spikes right below the fully opened flowers. They are also on the opposite side of this stalk. These will eventually bloom--I hope!

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Dendrobium pendulatum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

This plant is in a bright southern facing room. I water it every other day. These flowers are fragrant.

Thank you for this advice. I was wondering if any of these new plants require winter rest.

Thank you niknik, Subrosa, and Shushu45 for your comments. I am looking forward to what these new plants will teach me. Fortunately, they are small, except for the pendulatum...and they are not as expensive as some other plants I have acquired. Not that I buy plants based on how cheap they are! LOL!

For moniliforme I greatly reduce the watering come mid Novermber. I let them dry out completely and wait a few extra days before I water again vi do not soak them. When new growths appear I start increasing my watering. Jenkinsii does get a total winters rest. I stop watering around Dec. 1. And resume late March or so. Linchenastrum I water year round but let dry out before watering again.
Matt, I also have a reflexitepulam. Cute little pink blooms. I like orchids like this that have interesting foliage. And with bright light the foliage has a nice burgundy colored tinge to it. Den. equitans is another den with interesting foliage and not one you see around much.

I was talking with New World Orchids (of neofinetia fame) at the Columbus orchid show about their Den. moniliformes, and they said that the species is quite cold hardy, potentially to below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Den. kingianum in all its myriad forms is another nice small species. While it seems to need a cool, dry rest to initiate flowering for me, the little bit of extra effort is worth it for the honey-scented flowers in February and March.

Glad to hear that there are more people who are hooked on Dendrobium species in all of their variety. Hope this gives you some ideas.

Catherine

Catherine, Den. kingianum is also a smaller species? My criteria for considering an orchid is that it is smaller, easy to care for OR matches other orchid culture already in my care, AND it is fragrant or has an unsual format.

Thanks for the Den. kiingianum idea. They have beautiful flowers.

Matt--

De. kingianum comes in a wide range for sizes, though my "large" one is no more than 6" high, and the "small" form I got from Andy's Orchids is about half that. I've found it easy to grow, so given my newbie status that's saying something. They want high light and plenty of water when they're actively growing, then a cool, dry, bright rest period (I just leave them on the porch until the first frost is forecast they bring them in and water sparingly until I see growth again in December or January). A 4" pot of kingianum in full bloom will more than perfume a room and they smell like a combination of honey and hyacinths to me....

I'm still working on figuring out the culture to make my aggregatum happy, but my Den. loddigesi (also from Andy's) is growing....

Catherine

Thanks for the advice Catherine. I hope you post pictures of your Dendrobium aforementioned.

Matt--

My kingianums are pretty much done blooming, though there are plenty of new growths coming up, so I'll try to get a pic when I have time (and can figure out the camera--not very tech savvy). Loddigessi and parishi are growing, but not in bloom, either.

I'll see what I can come up with for pics.

Catherine

Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

Being well trained by Neofinetia falcata to appreciate the form and presentation of plant, even when not in bloom, I came across these three plants that did not look like Dendroboium.

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Dendrobium anceps by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3798/...7d5bc21d_b.jpg
Dendrobium flexile by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2938/...9bbd71d3_b.jpg
Dendrobium pachyphyllum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

All of these photos come from Kawamoto Orchids in Honolulu, Hawaii. Based on these pictures,I ordered these three plants. They are on their way to Fort Wayne and should arrive tomorrow 04/23/14. They fit my criteria for unusual form, diminutive in size, and can grow with my already acquired Dendrobium. I'm so pleased to know there are smaller orchid plants that can be as interesting as their larger cousins.

Great! To me, I am more interested in how the plant looks because that is what you will see most of the time. Blooms are great to have when they are provided by the plant. Since I live with these plants inside my house, they have to be appealing and interesting all of the time.

Matt, you need lots and lots of moniliforme...:lol:

Lots of moniliforme

Wow, that is an amazing list Adrienne! Thank you for linking it. I did not realize there so many different, definable plants. I have fifteen of them. I'm still not convinced I can grow these successfully. It has been a cold winter and they are slowly growing new leaves. Most look like wayward pencils.

My sensei gave me that link. Some of those are hybrids, but still are so beautiful. :)

You'll get the hang of growing them. After Phals and Neos, moniliforme are the third largest group in my collection. Hopefully 4 more will be winging their way to me. :)

My three Dendrobium arrived today all the way from Hawaii. They were beautifully packed and are very healthy. Dendrobium anceps is a lot larger than I thought it would be but very lovely. It seems like a bigger version of my Dendrobium reflexitepalum. The other two Dendrobium flexile and pachyphyllum are smaller and very healthy.

Thanks Catherine for promoting Dendrobium kingianum. I acquired my own version of this plant from eBay vendor Seed Engei. Here is my plant:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7441/...50173cdc_b.jpg
Dendrobium kingianum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

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Dendrobium kingianum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

WOW! Love the variegated leaves! Looks like another one for the wish list. You are a bad, bad influence (grin).

Have fun growing it and keep me posted on how it grows for you!

Catherine

Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

The more I read about Dendrobium, the more fascinating they become. There are so many different forms and sizes. This thread is becoming a little collection of small and unusual Dendrobium. Here are four more:

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Dendrobium senile by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

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Dendrobium cucumerinum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

This one is a hybrid:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/...e87e5ae2_b.jpg
Dendrobium lindleyi x aggregatum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7313/...6579e10e_b.jpg
Dendrobium oligophyllum by MattWoelfsen, on Flickr

Matt,

Den lindleyi is synonymous with Den aggregatum as far as I know. You might want to check with seller as to what they think it should be.

I fell into something similar years ago, when I bought Asctm Sagarik (= garayi x miniatum). Those are also synonymous according to most authorities.

Love Dens♥♥ I love how different they are. I tend to feel bad and water them throughout the dry winter rest. I have killed a couple . But that's in the past ! Do these go through a winter rest?
Mainly the Den cucumerinnum go through a winter rest ? I have one and I love it so much its put out two new growths and a bunch or roots I mounted it. My first mount ever ♥♡

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Yes, you are correct Fairorchids. This is the plant's complete name: Dendrobium lindleyi (syn. Dendrobium aggregatum v. majus) x Dendrobium aggregatum. In addition to that mouthful, the vendor explains:

"Pretty interesting cross here of what at one point were probably all considered the same specie. All vary in size but share a very similar flower. They have now been split into the following: Dendrobium aggregatum (large); Dendrobium lindleyi (medium); Dendrobium jenkensii (small)."

I would enjoy owning a Den. aggregatum for its beautiful flowers BUT it gets too big. I already own a Den. jenkensii and know how small it is, so with these plants crossed, I'm hoping to have a smaller plant with beautiful yellow flowers.

From what I have read about Den. (Dockrillia) cucumerinum, They grow best mounted on tree fern or cork and need cool to hot temperatures, regular water and fertilizer year round as well. They tolerate hot days and cool nights. The flowers are odiferous and short lived (thank goodness!) I acquired this plant for the novelty of its form.

I love it ! Thanks your your help :-)

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Matt your new babies look amazing! Great buy!

Thank you Anna and Tommy. I can't wait for these plants to arrive.

Attachment 98697 here's mine ♡ I love Dens ! Happy growing to you!

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I have a few with very interesting leaves and super tiny flowers. The flowers are so small I can't capture them on my iphone camera. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/04/vybezehe.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/04/eqe4uqa7.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/04/yhavu3as.jpg

Anyone know what 'type' of dendrobiums these are? I have their names but figure they must all belong to the same family of some sort and they are so different from the large commercial ones with big canes.


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Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

Beautiful plant Anna! Thanks for posting a picture of your version of Den. (Dockrillia) cucumerinum.

Debrasoon, the first one is a Dendrobium flexile. It is the SECTION Aporum SUBSECTION Strongyle. The second one is also in the Aporum section. I have seen the third plant, but I don't own it so I have no information on it. If you post its name I can look it up for you. But based on the first two, it just might be in the Section Aporum.

Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

After the winter season of not being able to order plants due to such freezing temperatures, I have been abstaining from ordering plants for shipment here to Fort Wayne, Indiana. But now winter has passed, I am buying more plants! Particularly Dendrobium--as this thread can attest.

Back in late Fall, I received a recommendation from TommyMiami about a vendor he likes to order unusual orchids. This vendor, Tropical Orchid Farm, sells many unusual plants at very inexpensive prices. There is a catch--you are required to spend at least US$40.00 in plants--which is about four plants.

So I ordered three more Dendrobium:
Dendrobium aberrans
Dendrobium loddigesii
Dendrobium toressae.

I'll post pictures when they arrive.

Dendrobium senile, cucumerinum, lindleyi x aggregatum, oligophyllum arrived today. amazingly small plants. The vendors' pictures of each plant does not give you a sense of how small they really are. I'm going to spend a lot of time nurturing these plants for the next few months!

MattWoeldsen. Not sure if these are unusual to you but these two tiny ones are a den peguanum and a den prenticei http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/10/u6egeny2.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/10/utapa6ag.jpg


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Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

Any orchid is special debrasoon. These are very nice plants. Thank you for posting them. How are you growing these plants?

Thanks Matt. Sorry for the typo error w your name. They are growing outdoors on the balcony semi shaded. They are hung off a phal pot and get plenty of natural light. Mounted and watered daily. I am in tropical singapore so the plants have to be watered daily, sometimes twice a day. I have lots of dens. They need plenty of light. Some do well in almost direct sunlight.


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http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/11/y5a9evy4.jpg

Matt these are a few of my tiny bulbos and the two dens having off a bench on the balcony. By hey are above the phals but under the cattelya and a few phals. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/11/ne4abara.jpg

And for context I am adding a panoramic shot of the balcony.


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Dendrobium Species Acquisition
 

Having your Dendrobium outside, watered daily in Singapore implies I need to water my plants more often. Thanks for that tip. How often do you feed your plants?

Wow! Beautiful balcony. There is another balcony growing member who lives in Miami, Florida--his name is TommyMiami. He grows a lot of smaller orchids. I wish I can grow orchids outside but here in Fort Wayne, Indiana, our winters are too cold.