NoID soft-caned Den, how should I approach the culture

[nogreenthumbs]

How should I grow this. I bought it at Trader Joe's today.

I know they can vary greatly, but I assume there's probably some general guidelines, and maybe once some of the buds open, it could maybe be fine tuned a little more.

I found the following, so I guess this is a soft-caned.

Soft-caned Dendrobiums have leafy pseudobulbs that are long and slim. Their leaves are generally a little lighter in color than the hard-caned Dens. They grow leaves along the length of the cane and the blooms sprout from the individual stems that are along the cane itself. Soft-caned dendrobiums are deciduous and drop their leaves
when the weather gets cold.

[Roberta]

At least for now, it is fine where it is. Keep it watered (let it dry out to almost, but not completely, dry before watering and then flush the pot well) This looks like a nobile-type Den. Those tend to want to have a reduced-water rest period in winter, but this one is looking more like they do in the spring- nice leaves, and flowers. Let the plant tell you what it wants - once flowers are gone, if leaves start to yellow, reduce water and stop fertilizing. If not, keep watering. Next year it will probably follow a more normal growth pattern of slowing down in winter and blooming in spring. Growers mess with the bloom cycle to sell plants at all seasons, so go with the flow and enjoy the flowers.

[Bud]

You have a hybrid Den Nobile, research on the culture and follow it....you are in a zone that is humid and warm it will survive outdoors. But put it indoors if it is frosty outside.
Soft cane or Nobile type Dendrobiums must surely be the easiest of all exotic orchids to grow and flower.
There are no special conditions needed, just an understanding of their basic requirements.
By far the most important aspect of their culture is that they have a definite and set time to grow and an equally set time not to grow. When this is properly understood, the rest is relatively simple.
The species from which our modern hybrids are derived were mainly from an area in the lower Himalayas and associated hills in India and the western side of the mountain ranges which run down the Malay peninsula and usually at an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900-1200m). In these locations they are subjected to extremes of heat, cold and heavy rainfall, so don't pamper them.
Your orchid plant is happy and healthy....try to maintain that....

[estación seca]

They don't normally flower now, but they can be induced to flower by manipulating temperatures. They need a very cool winter to flower the next spring.

You [formerly could] read excellent cultural information at Yamamoto Dendrobiums.

Edit June 15 2020:
Yamamoto Dendrobiums in Japan hybridizes and produces a great number of these plants. Their Web site formerly had excellent growing information for hobbyists. Unfortunately it is no longer there. You can still look at the varieties they grow, and maybe see one very similar to yours.

I saved the page, and summarized it in a post in this thread:
Uncertain if Dendrobium is still alive

Yamamoto now has a page showing how to force Dendrobium nobile for Christmas flowering in Japan's climate. There is a lot to learn from that page, but it is intended for growers who can artificially heat and cool their greenhouses during off seasons. Note they use coconut husk for growing medium, which many orchidists would say retains too much water for orchids. For many orchids that is correct, but this is a very thirsty orchid.

[nogreenthumbs]

Thanks folks.

---------- Post added at 03:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:33 PM ----------

I assume it'll bloom, then once it has bloomed, I'll put in on the window sill. At some point, the temp will drop and the cool air near the window will tell this thing "it's winter". Then it'll probably drop its leaves.

Once it has dropped it's leaves and gone into winter/non-growing mode, is that a good time to repot it?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by nogreenthumbs

Thanks folks.

---------- Post added at 03:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:33 PM ----------

I assume it'll bloom, then once it has bloomed, I'll put in on the window sill. At some point, the temp will drop and the cool air near the window will tell this thing "it's winter". Then it'll probably drop its leaves.

Once it has dropped it's leaves and gone into winter/non-growing mode, is that a good time to repot it?

It may not drop its leaves, or at least not all of them. (Mine always keep at least some leaves, and I also don't dry them out completely, just reduce watering) Looking at the plant, it had been made to think it is spring, so may stay in its summer growth cycle. I would suggest waiting until spring, or at any rate when you see it doing new growth. Don't try to push it... next year, with exposure to your light patterns, it will probably behave more normally.