Dendrobium Cane Propagation Question

[Subrosa]

Over the summer my Dendrobium chrysopterum suffered a minor mishap which caused a leafless cane to break off. The cane was about 18" long, so I cut it in 3 pieces and set them up in a ziploc with a bunch of moist sphagnum. I noticed today that one piece is swelling in the middle as it's shriveling at the ends. Does anyone know if this is a good sign or a bad one? Thanks!

[jmmehler]

See my post 'Orchid Hunt' I brought back a 4 foot cane from Puerto Rico. Broke it in two and laid in on some porus tile. Just misted it once or twice a day. Below are time lapse pictures.

Five months later, one of the sprouts is over 12 inches tall. I still haven't potted the sprouts, and the roots look great.

[ddivey36]

can you look at my new thread I started today "dendrobium 911" I need advice on how to save it.....

[kg5]

Very interesting!

A question.

So the 4 foot cane could of been cut above each node to make many plants and not just two plants?

[jmmehler]

The 4' cane was broken in half, so I could get it on the plane. One cane produced 1 plant, the other produced 3. The canes propagate at the leaf nodes. How many of those nodes produce, probably depends on the mood of the cane, time of year, chemicals (KLN, keikeipro), a higher power, and plain old luck. Cutting the cane into more sections may increase the number of nodes that propagate, but could also speed up the drying time of each cane.

Six months later, here is an updated picture. Probably will wait till the roots start growing again before I actually pot these guys. Thinking of just putting them all together in a small terracotta pot with nothing in it.

[kg5]

Thank you jmmehler!

Now that is a very good answer.

So to strike the cane as a whole helps to protects the cane as the nodes are (hopefully) going to strike anyway and after the nodes have come to life then the cane could be cut up above the nodes if many plants are wanted.

[RJSquirrel]

you can also grow phaius this same way. lay the whole cane down into some sandy soil water it on occasion and it will grow baby phaius from the nodes.