Leaving after flowering ...
In the life cycle of dendrobium nobile, there are three phases: flowering, growth and dormancy.
In the first phase, which most often occurs in spring, flowers bloom. Their number reaches 20 pieces. Sooner or later, flowering ends: the flowers wither and fall off. Then the question arises, what to do next?
Leave the orchid in a cool place and wait for new growth to appear. Stop intensively moisturizing the plant. New growth must take its own roots. When their size reaches a few centimeters, you can resume watering. The soil should dry well between waterings. When the new growths are strong enough and begin to inflate, it is recommended to stop watering for a while and lower the temperature.
Keep without watering for a week. This stimulates the formation of flower buds. With the appearance of buds, start watering again, otherwise it will grow children, and not flowers.
Completely dried peduncles are cut off after flowering. Greens leave or prune.
It is not necessary to remove the pseudobulb after flowering unnecessarily. Only in the case of its complete drying, when it gave up the accumulated nutrients and water. If the pseudobulb has green buds that have not yet bloomed, then the orchid may release new flowers. By properly caring for dendrobium nobile, you can achieve re-flowering.
The third stage: the leaves turn yellow, the leaves fall, preparations are underway for the dormant period. Watering is reduced, and the introduction of additional nutrition is completely eliminated.
The dormant period falls at the end of autumn - the beginning of winter.
From the end of October, Dendrobium begins a dormant period, which lasts about 2 months. It is not as pronounced as in the natural environment, but the plant will need rest. Watering is stopped at the same time. The introduction of additional food is completely excluded. Temperature range during the day + 15-18 ℃, at night + 8-10 ° C. The plant is exposed in the brightest, driest place.
If the daily temperature fluctuation cannot be created, then the plant is exposed at a constant temperature of about 10-12 ° C.
The appearance of young shoots at the base of the bulb means the end of the dormant period, watering is resumed. The plant is fed with increased concentrations of potassium and phosphorus, which are necessary for the formation of flower buds.
Usually dendrobium bloom lasts 8-12 weeks, at high ambient temperatures it can be reduced. Lack of colors: insufficient lighting, no rest period provided.
How to care for
For a culture to develop normally, it should be provided with full and high-quality care.
Temperature regime
In summer, the optimal daytime temperature is + 20-25 degrees. At night, the indicator should be + 16-21 degrees. In winter, it is not recommended to exceed the daily mark of +20 degrees. At night, the maximum temperature should be +18 degrees. This mode is optimal for thermophilic orchid species.
Illumination
Light requirements vary by orchid variety. Moreover, all varieties love bright diffused light. The flower needs protection from direct sunlight. It should be borne in mind that all species react negatively to the effects of drafts.
Watering mode
In the spring and summer, orchids require abundant watering. In this case, it is recommended to avoid stagnation of liquid in the substrate. This will provoke root rot. For irrigation, it is worth using settled or filtered water.
Air humidity
The culture requires high humidity, which should be 50-80%. In summer, it is recommended to keep the plant outdoors and spray its leaves as often as possible.In winter, the container with the culture should be placed on a pallet, which is recommended to be filled with wet gravel.
Transfer
Dendrobium can hardly tolerate transplants. Therefore, this procedure should be performed as rarely as possible - once every 3-4 years. Species that bloom in spring should be replanted immediately after this process is complete. Plants that produce flowers in the fall are moved to a new location at the moment the young shoots begin to develop.
A not too large pot is suitable for a plant. It can be made from any material. A few heavy stones should be placed at the bottom. Organize a drainage layer on top. To do this, it is recommended to use expanded clay or foam.
Then it is worth pouring large bark and carefully transfer the flower into a new pot. The voids are filled with a new substrate
To plant a plant, you should use ready-made soil for orchids.
Fertilization and feeding
It is recommended to apply fertilizers only during the period of active growth - from April to September. This procedure is performed every 15 days. To do this, you can use liquid orchid fertilizer. All types of thermophilic dendrobiums require the systematic use of fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus. This composition is applied once a month. Cool orchids are recommended to be fed with nitrogen 2-3 times a month.
During flowering
The flowering time of orchids is different. Moreover, the duration of this process is 2-3 months. To achieve a timely start of flowering, a difference between night and day temperatures of 5-7 degrees is required. The easiest way to achieve this is in the summer.
After flowering
When flowering is over, watering should be gradually reduced. In this case, the peduncle is cut off, and the culture is moved to a cool place. In this case, the culture will be able to fully relax and gain strength. In winter, the bush needs additional lighting. For this, it is certainly recommended to use a phytolamp.
Pot and soil requirements
Dendrobium requires a spacious pot. It should be quite wide. The roots of the plant do not participate in photosynthesis, therefore, it does not require a transparent container. Some epiphytes with flowing flowers are recommended to be planted in hanging baskets.
For a plant, it is worth using a standard substrate, which includes a mixture of sphagnum, peat, pine bark, and charcoal. Before planting, a drainage layer is laid on the bottom of the container, which will help to avoid stagnant moisture.
Houseplant care
- Lighting. The orchid loves bright light.
- Temperature. It is necessary to observe the temperature regime for the rapid growth of the flower.
- Watering. You can not overfill the plant, but also bring it to drought.
- Top dressing with fertilizers. For full development and to protect the orchid from disease.
- Observe the humidity in the room. With dry air in the room, the plant will dry out.
To learn how to properly care for the Dendrobium orchid, you need to consider each of the above points. Get acquainted with them in more detail.
Lighting
This is the most important point in caring for a flower at home. Any species of orchid, including Dendrobium, are very photophilous and need a lot of bright light. Since this is necessary for its flowering, especially for varieties with a bright color. The duration of daylight hours should last at least 12 hours.
In the autumn-winter period, as a rule, additional sources of illumination are used - lamps. In insufficient light, Dendrobium will not be able to please you with its bright, beautiful blooms.
Reference. The Dendrobium orchid, unlike other species, does not need to be turned to the light in different directions.
Temperature
Moderate temperature for the active growth of this type of orchid is from 17 to 25 degrees. At night, the optimum temperature is no higher than 21 degrees.Types of cool content in the spring-summer period need temperatures from 15 to 18 degrees during the day, and about 12 degrees at night.
In autumn and winter, the orchid needs a room temperature of 12 to 16 degrees.
Therefore, frostbite of the flower should be avoided in order to avoid undesirable phenomena.
How to water and feed properly?
Watering and feeding for this type of orchid is no less important than other types of care. Watering Dendrobium in different periods of the year is necessary in different quantities. In the spring and summer, you need to moisturize the potted plant abundantly. And autumn and winter is the dormant period for the orchid, so watering should be more scarce. The main thing is that watering is carried out with settled or boiled water at room temperature.
But as for feeding, it also needs to be done at a certain time. It is desirable to produce it from April to September, with complex mineral fertilizers. As a rule, the substrate is fertilized once every 10-15 days.
Important! It is necessary to purchase fertilizers that are suitable specifically for this type of orchid.
The video below tells about the rules for watering dendrobium:
Air humidity
The optimum air humidity for a given plant should be between 50 and 70%. Therefore, in the winter heating season, the bush should be sprayed with warm water as often as possible. Since it is in winter the air in the room is dry, and this can adversely affect the plant. During this period, the flower pot is best placed on a pallet filled with damp rubble.
It is necessary to spray the aboveground part 1-3 times a week, depending on the humidity in the room.
How to take care of it properly?
A distinctive feature of dendrobium is that it has a dormant period. After it fades, it seems that it stops growing, it is not, in fact, it has a dormant period. In this case, watering is reduced to a minimum. It is also better to keep the temperature low enough around 17-21 degrees. After the end of dormancy, the plant begins to grow new shoots.
Dendrobium blooms in solid shrubs when neither pseudobulbs nor leaves are visible. It may seem that these are just balls of flowers. An interesting feature of this plant is the presence of so-called children. If the dendrorium blooms at the wrong time and children grow up on a pseudobulb, this is a sign that care is being taken incorrectly.
Sometimes dendrobium can take root above the ground, in which case nothing needs to be done. If you sprinkle the soil on top, the plant may stop growing.
Secrets of growing dendrobium orchids
There are techniques and methods to optimize the process of growing dendrobium in your home. Knowing the subtleties of these types of flowers, you can achieve high levels of aesthetics, provide the plant with conditions, ensure abundant and long flowering.
One watering option is to place the pot in the water
How to properly water dendrobium
Orchids are quite hygrophilous. Watering can be done either in the classical way - by pouring moisture into the pot, or submerged - occasionally by placing the root of the plant in a container with water. This is especially useful for growing in baskets or blocks. The signal for the next watering is the dried out topsoil. In winter, watering is significantly reduced, only occasionally moistening the substrate in small portions. Fertilizers are added to the water in summer. Be careful not to allow water to enter the upper parts of the plant, so that it does not rot. The water should always be slightly lukewarm and soft in composition. If there is no filter, boil water for irrigation.
Top dressing during the growing season
Feeding the dendrobium orchid is necessary during the period of active growth. This is the period from the end of flowering until the onset of a state of dormancy. In Russia, it chronologically coincides with the warm season - late spring, summer and early autumn.It was at this time that dendrobium actively grows with a green mass. In this matter, he needs to be helped by adding nutrients.
Liquid fertilizers for orchids
A special group of fertilizers for orchids is intended for application to leaves by spraying. It can be found in stores under the name Orchid Leaf Care. Most of these formulations contain urea.
Another group is intended for absorption by the root system and assimilation by the plant "naturally". They are sold in liquid form and have common names like Fytopan, Orchid Food and others.
For top dressing, mix the liquid in a 1: 1 ratio with water, pour into the pot at the end of watering so as not to burn the rhizomes. Occasional fertilization - every 3 - 4 waterings.
How to achieve flowering dendrobium
If you want to achieve flowering of your orchid, then you need to follow several important rules:
- provide a sufficient level of illumination;
- together with the light, the orchid should receive a sufficient flow of air, that is, it should stand in the summer and autumn either in a draft or in the open air;
- do not overfeed or overmoisten the dendrobium;
- after the end of the active growing season, place future buds in the cold, up to 12 degrees.
In appropriate conditions, denbrobium will delight with flowering
The dendrobium has a characteristic feature: this orchid will transform the buds into babies without decreasing the temperature, that is, it will continue to grow in green mass. Thus, lowering the temperature, especially at night, is key to initiating the flowering process.
Dendrobium orchid species and photos
At the moment, about 1200 species of dendrobium are known. Natural species are widely sold much less frequently than hybrids created on their basis. You can buy them in nurseries and botanical gardens, where they are used to breed a new species. The following types are best suited for growing at home: Dendrobium noble, Dendrobium moniliform, Dendrobium dense-flowered, Dendrobium King, Dendrobium Parisha, Dendrobium phalaenopsis.
Dendrobium noble
Dendrobium nobile (Dendrobium nobile) is one of the most popular and widespread species in culture, it has more than 80 varieties. The name of the species is derived from the word "nobile", which means "famous, noble, noticeable."
Orchid Dendrobium noble is a large epiphytic plant up to 90 cm high. Its stems are large, fleshy, swollen. The leaves are located on both sides of the stem, they have an oblong elliptical shape. Short peduncles develop 3-4 flowers up to 10 cm in diameter. The flowers range in color from white to dark purple. The lip is white with a large dark purple spot. Most often blooms from January to May.
Dendrobium moniliform
In the photo dendrobium moniliform
Dendrobium moniliforme is a Japanese endemic orchid that resembles Dendrobium noble, but much smaller. The size of an adult plant is about 15 cm, and it begins to bloom, reaching only 5-6 cm. The flowers are pink-white, fragrant. Blooms from late winter to early autumn.
Dendrobium densely colored
Dendrobium densiflorum is an upright epiphytic orchid. The tetrahedral stems thicken and have rather pronounced nodes, on top of which 3-4 leaves grow. The leaves are narrow, elliptical or lanceolate, rather fleshy and smooth. Dense inflorescences are collected in sagging clusters, which consist of a large number of flowers (from 50 to 100 pieces). The lip is pubescent, yellow-orange. Flowers are yellow-orange in color, their diameter is no more than 5 cm.
Dendrobium King
Dendrobium kingianum is a small epiphytic orchid. It has rigid cylindrical stems thickening from above. The leaves are located on the upper part of the stem, 3-4 pieces, lanceolate, up to 30 cm long and 3 cm wide.The flowers are small, collected in a brush, have a color from white to bright purple. The flowers are very fragrant, up to 2 cm in size. A feature of this species is the rolled tubular base of the lip around the column. Flowering begins in February, lasts for two weeks.
Dendrobium Parisha
In the photo dendrobium parisha
Dendrobium parishii is an epiphytic deciduous orchid that resembles Dendrobium noble. Its stems are thick, hanging, up to 40 cm long. The leaves are oblong, lanceolate, at the end they have a small cut. Low-flowered inflorescences. The diameter of the flowers is up to 10 cm, the color is from pink to lilac. The lip of the flower is diamond-shaped or round, pink or white, decorated at the base with two dark purple spots. It blooms in spring or summer.
Dendrobium Phalaenopsis
Dendrobium phalaenopsis is a large semi-deciduous orchid. Stems are long, erect, fleshy. They thicken towards the top and are up to 60 cm long. Leaves are lanceolate, long, growing in the upper part of the stems. The peduncle reaches 60 cm in length. Large flowers, which are up to 9 cm in diameter, are painted in lilac-purple shades. Blooms from November to January, flowering period is 5-6 weeks. At the moment, a large number of subspecies of Dendrobium phalaenopsis have been bred, which differ in the period and duration of flowering, as well as in the color of the inflorescences.
What conditions are necessary for a plant?
Due to the fact that dendrobium is considered a representative of the epiphyte family, it should be understood that good home care is to provide moist air, sufficient lighting and an optimal amount of moisture.
Selection Tips
Pot
You should choose a ceramic or plastic pot for an orchid, preferably not transparent. This plant needs drainage. Therefore, it is imperative to place a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot.
What kind of soil is needed?
What kind of land is needed for a plant? Gardeners advise using a special soil for dendrobiums, intended for epiphytic orchids. A good option for growing an orchid is to make your own soil mixture. You want to mix peat soil, sphagnum, pine bark and charcoal. Peat is required to provide the recommended acidic environment.
When preparing the soil on your own, it is advisable to boil the future substrate for 10 minutes and then dry it. It is worth doing this in order to disinfect the soil, so it is possible to avoid infection of the plant with pests and bacteria.
At the bottom of the pot, drainage is laid, consisting of crushed stone or broken brick. Gardeners recommend placing large pieces of tree bark on top of the drainage. Then place the crushed pieces of bark.
We recommend watching a video about preparing a substrate for dendrobium:
Location
Dendrobium needs sunbathing, therefore, to ensure favorable conditions for the existence of a flower, it must be placed on windows facing south. When the plant is located on the east or west sides, it will be necessary to install additional artificial lighting. The windows on the north side are not at all suitable for providing a comfortable environment for the dendrobium.
Lighting
Dendrobium is a light-loving plant. It is necessary to provide it with bright light, but not direct sunlight.
Important: Immediately, the plant should not be placed in bright sunlight, it must be slowly trained. If the plant is located in direct sunlight, it needs to provide air movement.
How often to water and shower?
During the growing season, the plant needs a lot of water. It is recommended to water without waiting for the substrate to dry out. If it is a hot day, watering should be done every day. If the weather is cloudy, rainy, you need to water when the substrate begins to dry out, about 2 times a week.If water remains in the pan, it must be drained 15 minutes after watering. This time is enough for the flower to be saturated with water. Otherwise, the roots can simply rot.
The best time to water is in the morning. With the onset of frost, it is worth stopping watering the flower. Then it is required to rinse the roots in a pot with clean running water in order to wash off all salt residues and extra fertilizers. The roots should remain clean during the dormant period. Watering stops until the flower buds wake up.
Dendrobium prefers to be in a room with high air humidity. To provide the orchids with favorable conditions, it is recommended to spray them every day.
Watering must be carried out with water at room temperature, it is desirable that it be settled.
We recommend watching a video on the correct watering of the dendrobium orchid:
Temperature
Dendrobium is a plant resistant to any temperature. It can even withstand negative temperatures. In hot weather, it can be in conditions with temperatures up to 38 degrees. Of course, don't forget about air ventilation.
The orchid is extremely bad for large and sharp fluctuations in temperature, as well as cold!
Fertilizer
It is necessary to feed denrobium starting in spring. It is recommended to use a complex fertilizer, where nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium are contained in equal proportions. Fertilization frequency - once a week. To get gorgeous blooms, the fertilizer solution should be in the ratio: 1 teaspoon per 4 liter bucket.
It is necessary to spill fertilizer after watering the plant, then the roots are already saturated with moisture, which will allow them not to be burned. Beginning in August, fertilizer should be of a different type. From now on, there should be no nitrogen in the fertilizers. Otherwise, kids will grow on pseudobulbs. Thus, you can get a lush bloom at the end of winter.
Diseases and other problems
In some cases, dendrobium can lose its attractiveness and show a number of symptoms that cause concern in florists.
Sometimes these "bells" are only part of the normal life process of an orchid, but they can also indicate the development of a disease in the plant.
Dendrobium leaves turn yellow
The yellowing and falling foliage of an outwardly healthy flower is a natural process. Old leaves, which have ended their life cycle, are falling off. The latter is on average about 2 years old.
Dendrobium withers
Shrinkage of shoots during the formation of new pseudobulbs and during the dry period is also a normal and normal process, so you should not panic too much.
How to save dendrobium if it turns yellow and withers
pseudobulbs become flabby, wither
To get rid of insects and help the orchid to recover, you can use laundry soap. The plant is thoroughly washed with it, after which it is treated with 0.15% actellik solution.
Soap baths can be carried out as a preventive measure.
Root rot
The reason is excessive watering. If the problem is not eliminated in time, the rot will move from the roots to the stems, the plant will begin to wilt. Also, this problem can be caused by excessive enthusiasm for mineral dressings. In both cases, in order to prevent the orchid from dying, it must be urgently transplanted.
Dendrobium trunk rots
Rotting occurs due to waterlogging of the substrate, or as a result of the ingress of water between the leaves and the trunk. To prevent such a situation, after spraying such places are recommended to get wet with a napkin, removing excess moisture.
If the plant still has rot, it is necessary to urgently cut off all damaged areas, treat the wounds with charcoal or activated charcoal, and sprinkle the entire orchid with a fungicide solution.
Dendrobium is cracking
Cracking on pseudobulbs is caused by:
- excess nitrogen fertilizers;
- a sharp temperature drop, coinciding with watering a flower;
- severe hypothermia;
- lack of moisture.
They also result from mechanical damage. If, in addition to cracks, the plant has no other problems, restorative procedures should be carried out.
These include the rejection of nitrogen fertilizers (replace them with potassium-phosphorus additives), optimization of air temperature and irrigation regime.
Dendrobium sheds buds and flowers
This happens for several reasons. The most common: lack of fresh air or light, excessive or very frequent watering during the swelling of the buds. In order for the orchid to bloom, it is worth changing its conditions a little, correcting mistakes in care.
Step-by-step waddling plant transplant technology
The transshipment method is carried out quite rarely. The most common reason is replacing a flower pot with a larger one, due to the growth of the root system.
There are different transplanting methods, one of them is the transhipment method.
The principle is that the root ball is not destroyed, but is carefully removed and transferred to a new container. There is practically no difficulty in the process.
The main thing is accuracy, since sometimes, out of vital necessity, even a flowering plant has to be transplanted in this way.
Preparatory operations:
- Pick up a flower pot in width 20-30 mm larger than the previous one;
- Disinfect it with a solution of potassium permanganate;
- Prepare a new substrate and inert components;
- Prepare and disinfect the handy tool (scissors, knife, wooden stick, bamboo support).
Step-by-step instruction:
- We spill the root ball in advance for safe extraction;
- We put heavy stones and drainage from inert materials a couple of centimeters thick at the bottom of the new container;
- Gently turn the pot over and try to remove the root part without disturbing the soil ball with roots. If necessary, we cut or break the old container;
- Place the orchid in a new pot;
- Empty and free areas are filled with new substrate, gently compacting them with a stick;
- We install and fasten the bamboo support with clips.
Important! When filling with a new substrate, care must be taken that the roots do not stray together.
Top dressing
It is simply impossible to grow any kind of orchid without feeding. Proper care of dendrobium requires constant fertilization. Orchids are very capricious, so it is necessary to immediately exclude all experiments with feeding. It is not worth preparing all kinds of mixtures on your own. The roots of the plant are very delicate and do not tolerate an overabundance of substances that can cause burns. It is not always possible to save dendrobium burnt by the compounds.
For orchids, liquid fertilizers are usually used. The first feeding can be done at a time when the plant begins to bloom. Further fertilization is done every three weeks. Experts recommend combining watering and feeding to avoid burns. The concentration of fertilizers should be made two times weaker than what is written on the bottle. Delicate roots can die from the concentrated composition.
Gardeners recommend that thermophilic varieties be fed with phosphorus-potassium preparations even in winter once a month. Fertilization can be continued even in winter. It is believed that top dressing prolongs the flowering period and makes it longer.
Cold-resistant species prefer nitrogen-containing substances, thanks to which they build up green mass.
Conditions for keeping dendrobium during the period of active growth
The period of active growth is spring / summer. It starts from the moment when new shoots appear on old pseudotubers.
Each pseudo-tuber taken separately at the point of attachment of the leaves is divided into parts - the separation occurs along narrowings. In the place where the leaf adjoins the pseudo-tuber, buds are located, which, under various conditions of keeping, develop into flower stalks or into new plants.
A sign of the end of vegetative growth and ripening of the pseudotubers - the young sprout is elongated and rounded, the last leaf has formed at its top.
Lighting during growth
Optimal lighting: from October to March - the maximum possible; from April to September: from 10-00 to 16-00 diffused sunlight, until 10-00 and after 16-00 direct sunlight.
Determine the optimal illumination for your hybrid in a given period of time empirically:
under excessive light, the new pseudotubers will be shorter than those formed before the plant was acquired. In this case, the lighting level can be reduced.
in low light, new pseudotubers will form long and thin.
Growth temperature
Summer temperature:
optimal daily + (18-25) 0С.
optimal night time + (14-20) 0С.
The maximum allowable temperature is + 40C.
Permissible night temperature in summer + (22-24) C.
Temperature in winter:
the optimal temperature during the day is + (15-20) 0С;
the optimal temperature at night is + (6-12) 0С.
Air humidity
During the period of active growth:
optimum humidity is moderate;
permissible humidity - low.
In the summer, when the temperature deviates from the optimum in the direction of increase, it is advisable to increase the air humidity or keep the orchid outdoors.
Watering during growth
The first watering (after a dormant period) is carried out only after the first signs of vegetative growth (bud swelling) appear or after the ripening of flower buds. The last watering is carried out with the end of vegetative growth. Watering frequency - with light drying of the substrate between waterings.
In the summer, provided the recommended conditions for keeping (bark substrate) are provided, watering is carried out almost every day. Watered with purified water (reverse osmosis), heated to a temperature of 22-24C, or the water temperature should be 2-3C higher than the air temperature.
Watering is carried out in the morning. Water should not get on the leaves, otherwise the risk of fungal diseases increases many times. Once a week, it is useful to spray dendrobium (except for the flowering period): washing the dirt from the ground part and washing the soil substrate with plenty of water (excess salts are washed out).
Dendrobium is watered by immersing the pot with the plant in water for 5-10 minutes, in extreme cases, abundant watering is carried out from a watering can.
Sign of good watering:
before watering, the root sheath is silvery (gray), the root tip is silvery-green.
after watering, the root shell becomes glossy, green in color.
Watering frequency:
water the dendrobium after the root shell changes its color from green to gray or silver.
When should you transplant a flower?
Transplanting is an important part of plant care. It may seem that the land is still quite suitable for growing the dendrobium orchid, but perhaps it has already lost its useful properties. Namely, breathability, acidity, salt balance. It often happens that as a result of frequent watering and fertilization, the soil becomes dense. Therefore, less and less air is supplied to the roots of the flower each time.
When watering with tap water, the ph of the substrate gradually increases, as a result, the dendrobium orchid ceases to receive useful elements from the environment. And the roots completely deteriorate from accumulations of potassium and phosphorus salts. Considering all these subtleties, it is necessary to transplant the plant once every 2-3 years, sometimes it is possible more often.
Also, the plant must be transplanted if the roots have grown strongly and the substrate is forced out of the pot. It is imperative to transplant the flower when rot or pests appear.
After buying a dendrobium orchid in a store, transplanting should be done immediately after the end of flowering, or within the first year after purchase.The substrate in which the plant is in the store is not suitable for growing a flower at home. The best time for a dendrobium orchid transplant is spring. It is spring that is considered the period of the beginning of new plant growth. At this time, new shoots and roots appear.
Orchid species Dendrobium
Among the many species of Dendrobium, the most popular are such species as (Figure 2):
- King;
- Parisha;
- Noble dendrobium;
- Dendrobium moniliform.
Let's consider in more detail the features of each of these types.
King's
Representatives of the species have rigid cylindrical stems, reaching a length of up to 30 cm. Their surface is covered with scarious leaf bases. Small flowers, from white to bright purple hue, are collected in a raceme at the top of the stem.
Parisha
A distinctive feature of this species are fleshy stems from 30 to 40 cm long with thickenings at the nodes. Their surface is shrouded in whitish leaf bases, which have a sharp oblong shape with a notched top.
Figure 2. The main varieties of a flower: 1 - Kinga, 2 - Parisha, 3 - noble, 4 - moniliform
Leafless peduncles bear lilac or pink flowers, up to 10 cm in diameter, slightly darkening towards the ends of the petals.
Noble
Dendrobium noble (Nobile) is the most favorite species of flower growers. It is a fairly large plant. On its straight fleshy stems are oblong leather leaves.
Peduncles are formed on last year's leafless shoots. They bear 2-3 flowers, whitish-cream at the base and lilac (pink) at the edges. The base of the flower has a dark purple spot.
Moniliform
This species is one of the oldest in the culture. It is a miniature semblance of a noble variety. This plant has minimum requirements for keeping conditions.
Its root system does not rot in case of incomplete drying of the substrate. That is why the moniliform variety is so popular among lovers of indoor flowers. Its flowering period lasts from late winter to early autumn. Moreover, for each pseudobulb of a plant, there are 1-2 inflorescences that emit a light aroma.
Planting and transplanting
Perfect ground
Pine bark is usually used for soil for orchids.
- Boiled pine bark, crushed to a medium fraction;
- Chopped moss;
- Coal, prevents acidification of the soil mixture;
- Fern roots;
- Coconut fiber.
Ready-made primer, where all the components are mixed in the right proportions, is sold at a flower shop.
Optimal capacity
- Drainage - large holes;
- The pot is larger than the previous one by a couple of centimeters;
- If there are holes in the walls, that's great;
- An adult plant is massive and heavy, the pot must fit and not allow the plant to tip over under its own weight. For young, straight and slender shoots, the weight of the pot does not matter. With growth, the plant will still have to be transplanted more than once.
Important! If the bases of the pseudobulbs are thin, you need to take care of props for such a plant in advance. As it grows, a massive green mass can break or collapse.
It is better to place shoots prone to drooping on a stand or block so that they can hang down and take a free shape.
Signs of needing a transplant
Dendrobium Nobile “does not like” transplantation.
It is worth moving to a new pot only for good reasons:
- The old pot has become small;
- Young shoots have turned yellow, or there are dark spots on the roots and the plant needs help;
- The soil “worn out” - turned black, crumbled, does not “hold” the plant.
Technology
To prevent the roots injured by the transplant from rotting, you need to refrain from watering for 7-10 days. Only light spraying is permissible.
The soil is not compacted so as not to damage the roots.