dendrobium stalks blackening
 

Hi there:

I have a no ID dendrobium nobile that I re-potted last year. Since then, it has produced three new growths, and flowered twice (!!).

It is preparing to flower again on two of the three new growths. :)

Old growth wrinkled up, and according to research here, this is normal. However, the eldest stalks are now beginning to turn black, as in the picture. They are slightly squishy. I would prefer to leave them alone, but checking in just to make sure I shouldn't take any action.

Thank you for your time!

It doesn't hurt to just leave it... the bottom of that old cane looks like it's still green so the cane isn't totally dead yet.. If you cut the shriveled brown part, then it can still draw energy from the remaining green part without missing what's already dead. But you do want to be careful not to cut the part that's still alive.

I had problems with rot spreading down the cane when this happened to one of mine. It was a box store purchase and came with the issue. After losing a couple canes, I cut the others below the level of the rot and dusted the cuts with cinnamon.