What is it?
 

Today I got my 3rd and 4th Orchid for my new collection, 1 is just a simple hybrid Phal and the 2nd I have no clue! never seen this type before, and the tag was missing, but there is always pics and friends that do know ;)

I noticed in the Orchid that I don't know about, that its planted in dirt with a top layer if fir chips, from what I believe to be true no Orchids gets planted in dirt, so whats up with that?

It looks to me like you have a phal. type Dendrobium they are quite forgiving plants and will live in a fine medium but for me at least they do better in large chucks of coconut husk.

And there are many different terrestrial orchids that live in different types of dirt you can find Cypripedium and many other terrestrial orchids in California

I agree it does look like a den. Is it possible it is not dirt but severly broken down bark?
Congrats on your two new lovelies.
Joann

It may be that the individual bought the miracle grow "orchid mix" and that is mainly soil.

I just had to buy my sister bark mix for the orchid I gave her. She couldn't figure out why it wasn't doing so well.

its a Dendrobium Phal Type? Now I am sure I never heard of that, I will have to check out that medium better when it dries a little, it was bone dry when I got it today, it could had been broke down bark. I will check info on that Den.
Thanks!!

It could be, I was just saying from my recent experience. :)

But good luck, and they really are quite lovely!

It's definetely a Dendrobium and Phal type refers to the shape of the flowers compared to something like this Dendrobium unicum. They like to dry out in between waterings so as suggested a coarse medium is the best.

Those are cool!! I seen some of those Dend/Phal types on the net, the flowers looks close, but the stem is way off, the ones I seen were more like bamboo, skinny and long, mine are short and fat ::hmm

It is a dendrobium alright. The canes will vary from very long to almost non existant to different shapes.

I guess I didn't like the Phal type thing added... hahaha!! I had lots of Phals and wanted to try new things, but its a Dendrobium, so its new to me then, I seen a few others I liked, I better stay home tomorrow ;)