Dendrobium Orchid is native to Southeast Asia and is a spectacular bloomer in a family of more than 1,800 orchid species. Different orchid varieties thrive in diverse climatic conditions, from the high altitude cold mountains to the wet and hot lowlands, guaranteeing that you will get a perfect type to fit the natural weather in your area.
Apart from the robust growing upright stem that produces a new cane every year, you can domesticate the dendrobium orchid for its colorful bloom. The Dendrobium Orchid also has bravura spray of flowers that lasts six to eight weeks at a time several times in a year.
To grow and care for a vibrant Dendrobium Orchid, here are the conditions you should provide.
- It requires regular watering, at least once every week between spring and summer.
- Provide consistent bright light throughout the year.
- Use a potting mixture made of clay mixed with peat moss, fir bark or perlite to guarantee proper aeration and drainage.
- Provide warm temperatures between 60oF and 80oF (15.5oC – 26.6oC).
While dendrobium orchids come in multiple varieties, they have two shared elements in that will make it easier to care for any type:
- The orchids love a lot of light and will repay you by producing a colorful tenderly scented bloom. If your orchid is not flowering, the best remedy is to take it out in the light, and the flowers will soon appear.
- Dendrobium orchids love crowding the pot with their roots. Transferring them to a large bowl could result in excessively moist soil that causes root rot and eventual death. To avoid toppling a small container with the large canes of dendrobium orchids, camouflage the rods with other flowers.
There is more to growing the dendrobium orchids than what has been said above. Getting and maintaining the delicate bloom requires attention to particular growing conditions. Here is a detailed look at specific requirements that will help you to obtain a spectacular bloom from dendrobium orchids.
Basic Growing and Care Guidelines for Dendrobium Orchids
Watering
The lifecycle of dendrobium orchids involves three stages. The stages are the flowering phase between winter and spring, growing phase between summer and autumn, and the dormancy stage between late autumn and winter. Water needs will vary based on the season. Orchids also respond differently to the amount of watering.
The growing season requires a lot of water that you have to supplement with high humidity. Water the plant at least once a week. Aim to water your orchid from the leaves and allow the water to drip to the pot.
The amount of water also depends on the potting mixture or soil used. Since the plant loves to fill the pot with its roots, the amount of soil is reduced. Little soil causes quick drainage, meaning that you must water the plant frequently to keep the roots moist.
Though dendrobium orchid loves water, you should not soak its roots in a tray of water. Remember that the plant grows on tree barks and other plants in the wild. Too much water with roots buried in the potting mixture will, therefore, result in root rot.
Cut back on watering after the growing season, but do not suspend it entirely. One watering session every ten days will be sufficient. However, you should scale down watering over winter and the dormant phase.
Deprive your dendrobium orchid water to encourage budding and blooming. However, once the blooming phase begins, increase watering to provide the right conditions for a colorful bloom. If you live in the tropical areas, water your plant in the morning to allow sufficient evaporation which will protect your plant from root rot after the soil has become soggy.
Dendrobium orchid loves plenty of water during the growth and flowering stages. Keep the potting mixture moist but not wet. Reduce water to promote budding, blooming, and during the dormant winter season.
Humidity
Dendrobium orchids love water and will, therefore, thrive in humid conditions. The recommended humidity level is anything between 50% and 70%, like what is found under canopies in forests. However, you must ensure adequate ventilation to protect the leaves from fungal infections when water settles on the surface.
A humidity tray helps you to deal with a dry interior. Place pebbles on the tray to limit the level of evaporation or the presence of insects on the water. You will not need to mist the plant or surrounding area to enhance humidity continually.
A humidifier will help you to maintain the right moisture around the plant at all times. It is especially important during summer and winter seasons when internal heating and cooling systems are used. Keep your dendrobium orchid away from AC vents because they create false drafts that interfere with humidity.
Plant grouping is one of the best and natural ways to maintain the required humidity. Grouping works perfectly for dendrobium orchids because they grow on other plants and benefit from the mutually created environment. However, you must ensure that the plant cluster has sufficient air supply to keep away fungus and insect infestation.
Brown leaves signal that the air around your plant is too dry. Use a humidifier, water tray, or grouping to maintain constant humidity of 50%-70%. While you watch humidity levels, you must maintain adequate air circulation to protect the plant from insects and fungus infestation.
Soil
Dendrobium orchids belong to a particular class of plants that live off other plants instead of the soil. It explains why you can use a small pot for a big caned orchid and still get the glorious bloom. This particular orchid does not like soil at all.
A potting mixture will do in place of the soil with a container that is just a few inches bigger than the area around the roots. The combination should be fast draining or just a hanging basket. If you want to use a planters pot, it will have a greater emphasis on its decoration because it will only be a disguise.
The potting mixture will be used to hold nutrients to feed the plant and moisture that keeps the roots alive. A mix of coconut fiber, perlite, and clay aggregate will work correctly – be surprised by the combination. There are instances of the orchid where it’s being shipped from Asia and being sold while growing on wooden chunks!
Use a potting mixture that drains well and allows a lot of air around the roots. The plant is soaked in water, then removed and returned to its decoration spot. Use the pot to hold the plant in place and prevent it from toppling.
The best natural soil for potting dendrobium orchid is clay. Its porous nature allows the clay to drain faster and minimize the risk of root rot. It is also heavy and will keep the plant upright.
Use potting mixture made of clay aggregate, coconut fiber, and perlite instead of soil. It must drain well and provide a lot of aeration to the roots. It is one of the large flowers that require minimal soil quantities to thrive.
Light
Dendrobium orchids are some of the most light-tolerant species in their family. They require a lot of bright light throughout the year. Moreover, they will take direct sunlight during winter and a few more hours than others during summer.
The orchid loves the morning and late afternoon. It prefers the south-facing window during autumn, spring, and winter. However, you should move it to the east-facing window in summer to avoid leaf scorching during these hot months.
Dendrobium orchids will still grow in low light conditions. However, their foliage will be limited, and the flowers might not be as vibrant. You can boost lighting conditions around the orchid by using fluorescent lighting.
The plant will warn you that it is not receiving sufficient light by developing keikis. On the other hand, if the leaves begin to turn yellow, the plant is receiving excess light, especially direct sunlight. Then, you will know it is time to move it to a shaded area.
A lot of light is required during the robust growth months of spring, summer, and autumn. If the plant is subjected to dim light during these seasons, the quality of leaves and the beauty of flowers will fade. The sun will also help you to fight pests because they cannot settle in bright areas.
Dendrobium orchid needs and can tolerate a lot of bright light. Allow the plant to enjoy direct sunlight up to 11 am and after 3 pm. Denying the necessary lighting that will result in smaller and dull foliage.
Temperature
Dendrobium orchids are incredibly tolerant of a variety of temperatures throughout the year. Fluctuations during the day and night do not affect the health of the plant. However, the plant will only thrive within a specific temperature range, determined by individual species.
The most active growth and blooming phase are between February and September. The plant should remain in a warm area where temperatures range between 65oF and 85oF (18oC and 30oC) during the day. Night temperatures can fall but not below 54oF or 12oC. Such temperatures will give you the most beautiful foliage and floral bloom.
Autumn and winter months between October and January require cooler temperatures both during the day and at night. The cold temperature and reduced watering will stimulate bloom and bud development. Monitor the temperatures indoors, especially during winter, because the warmth could disrupt its natural growth.
Cooler temperatures cause the orchid to rebloom up to three times in a year. However, ensure that the environment is not frosty because the buds might fall off the plant. Drafts also cause premature fall of the buds, aborting what could have otherwise been a beautiful bloom.
Though dendrobium orchids are resilient to a broad spectrum of temperatures, you should maintain constant warm temperatures during growth and blooming months. Monitor indoor heating and cooling to avoid disrupting the natural warmth needs because it will disturb budding and blooming. Drafts and frosty conditions should be avoided because they cause buds and flowers to fall from the orchid.
Advanced Care For Dendrobium Orchid
The Dendrobium Orchid may be tolerant, but it requires attention to specific needs to give you a glorious bloom. We are going to look at a few areas whose attention will transform an ordinary dendrobium orchid into a spectacle around your home.
Get ready for our advanced care guidelines. Here we go.
Flowering
Dendrobium orchids give a spectacular bloom spray with 5-20 flowers appearing at the top of the cane and lasting between one and three months. The pray is then used for a floral arrangement. If you provide the right conditions, you will get up to three blooms in a year.
Stimulate flowering by reducing water and warmth at night during the flowering season. Once the flowers begin to appear, increase the amount of water. Do not remove old and leafless canes because they also flower and will produce keikis for propagation.
Fertilization
Apply diluted nitrogen-rich fertilizer during the robust growing season. A balanced 20-20-20 ratio combination will serve the purpose. Dilute the strength of the fertilizer by half towards the end of the growing season to promote better blooming.
Pruning
Pruning is done by removing the dry spike on top of the leafy cane after flowering. Do not remove the old and leafless canes because they will produce flowers and propagation buds. Different from many other plants, dendrobium orchids are pruned before the dormant months of winter and autumn.
Repotting
It will take years before a dendrobium orchid requires repotting. With the roots requiring a squeezed pot and no potting soil, you will seldomly need repotting. The plant will pick up again immediately after repotting. Use the opportunity to remove the old and leafless cane if they are more than three.
Propagation
Propagation is done by division. You need a sharp knife to cut through the root and soil mass if you have at least four leafy canes in one pot. Removal all growing medium and cut any long, dangling, or old roots.
Put the cut root mass and cane in a sizable pot and add your potting mix. Pack the potting mixture and allow it to stay for a week before watering. It will take several weeks to grow new buds and leaves at the base of the plant as well as the stem.
Pest Prevention
The level of humidity dendrobium orchids require makes them vulnerable to bacterial and fungal diseases. You will witness distortions on leaves, leaf spots, leaf blight, and root rot, among other conditions. Sprinkle the leaves occasionally to eliminate pests and dust from the surface.
Top Dendrobium Plant Varieties
- Dendrobium Nobile Orchid- it is a widespread species with colorful small flower spikes that are only a few centimeters long. A single cane can have between 20 and 25 flowers. When you have several rods in a pot, the floral spray is spectacular. Better still, the flowers bloom in spring and winter when all other plants are dormant.
- Dendrobium Phalaenopsis- it has a tall and slender stem that is always crooked. The flowers are large with broad petals and will appear in shades of white and purple. It is a more showy orchid than the others.
- Dendrobium kingianum- it is identified by its delicate flowers that range from white to purple/red. The herb has a small white-colored centerpiece that gives it a unique feel.
- Dendrobium Speciosum- the plant produces cream to yellow flowers on an erect or pendant setting. Most of these flowers will tend to reflect white in the middle. The lower petal will feature an attractive purple lacing. It still blooms throughout the year, but in spring, it will give a spectacular spray that outshines all the others.
- Dendrobium Anosmum- it is also referred to as an unscented orchid. It is large and can grow up to 3 meters (9.8 ft). It has a noded stem where a sheath envelopes glossy and fleshy leaves. It blooms 8-10 dark-pink to deep lavender flowers.
- Dendrobium Aphyllum- it has pointed leaves and delicate duo colored flowers. The outer part of the flower is anywhere between purple and lavender, while the inner part tends towards white. The white part of the flower is funnel-shaped. The thin stems and delicate flowers on top make the variety excellent for a beautiful floral arrangement.
Frequently asked questions about Dendrobium Orchid
How long do dendrobium orchids last?
The Dendrobium orchid bloom appears in February and lasts between four and six weeks. If the temperatures are cool but not freezing, the bloom can reappear two more times in a year. You can also stimulate blooming by lowering the temperature at night and depriving the orchid water. However, each variety may extend the bloom or reduce it based on the conditions provided.
What is dendrobium used for?
Dendrobium orchids have a variety of uses, including as a source of astringent, tonic, antipyretic, and analgesic. It also provides anti-inflammation substances. Traditionally it was used to nourish the stomach and stimulate the production of body fluids. The extracted elements today are available in the form of supplements.
Do dendrobium orchids rebloom?
The orchids will bloom two to three times a year. They require cool temperatures and low light to rebloom. Water deprivation will also stimulate reblooming.
Why is my dendrobium leaves turning yellow?
The soil could be too wet, leading to root rot. Bacterial or fungal attacks could also be a cause. Lastly, check whether the plant is suffering from sunburns.
Should you cut off yellow orchid leaves?
Yellowing leaves are an eyesore and naturally invite you to cut them. However, if you have the opportunity, allow them to fall off so that the plant can seal the affected area without experiencing cuts.
