Dendrobium orchid: description, reproduction and care

Dendrobium orchid has an original appearance, thereby attracting many flower growers. However, this variety is not as common on the market as other varieties of the orchid family, so caring for it may not be as easy.

Dendrobium orchid belongs to epiphytic crops and in the wild lives on tree trunks. In an urban environment, the flower can be grown both in greenhouses and in ordinary apartments. Flowering usually occurs in spring, although dates may vary depending on the variety. In general, it lasts from 2 to 8 months. The orchid smells nice and not cloying at all. As a rule, the bush reaches one and a half meters in height, but some specimens grow even more.

The stem of the plant is formed from pseudobulbs that resemble a cylinder. The leaves grow alternately, and peduncles form in their axils. The latter produce from 1 to 4 buds, the petals of which are colored white, pink or even yellow. Some of them can combine two or three colors. Since there are many varieties of dendrobium, the appearance of plants can vary significantly.

For example, the stems can be not only cylindrical, but also reedy and even in the form of a spindle. The maximum height of the bush reaches a couple of meters, but much smaller versions are more common. Alternatively, the height of the home dendrobium is about 60 centimeters. The root system is well developed, and its components are covered with a special tissue that can absorb and retain moisture. The leaves either grow along the entire length of the stem, or accumulate at the top. In some species, they are also capable of accumulating liquid.

The flowers are colored in different colors and differ in the shape and length of the petals. However, the base of the lip always curls up, surrounding the accrete stamens and pistil. This part, called the column, is rather small, and side lobes extend from its base. Orchid inflorescences are racemose, most often multi-flowered.

Currently, more than a thousand species of dendrobium orchids are known. Each of them has its own characteristics, and hence the care requirements. A variety of dendrobium "Nobile Apollo", which is also called noble, belongs to the decorative species. Quite fleshy and dense, the stems are covered with glossy skin and reach approximately 1.5 meters in height. Flowering begins in the second year after planting and happens several times every 12 months.

White flowers reach ten centimeters in diameter and are characterized by the presence of elongated petals with sharp tips. This type is considered quite unpretentious and feels good at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius. Throughout its entire life cycle, the orchid should be well lit, but with the help of diffused light. In winter, the required level is achieved using artificial lighting, for example, phytolamps. Planting is carried out in a soil mixture created from peat, charcoal, and pieces of moss.

In the list of names of popular varieties is the dendrobium orchid "Moniliform". It grows slightly - the height reaches only 20 centimeters. In Russia, such an orchid is considered rare and quite expensive, but very beautiful. Flowers attract gardeners with a combination of white and purple colors, as well as a delicious aroma. With proper care, an orchid can bloom for 12 months.

"Moniliform" can withstand direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation without consequences, moreover, it is even recommended to be under the sun for a couple of hours a day. The plant does not have any special requirements for air humidity. It is better to take a special substrate, suitable for any type of orchid and characterized by good permeability to both air and moisture. It is better to irrigate the flower by soaking a couple of times a week.

The height of the Kinga dendrobium ranges from 30 to 55 centimeters. Each peduncle forms about 7 buds, which, when open, reach three centimeters in diameter. Such flowers smell like vanilla. "Kinga" blooms in early spring and pleases its owners with an excellent appearance and aroma throughout the month. In winter, the plant experiences a dormant time, during which care is required to a minimum.

Dendrobium Berry Oda is a hybrid of the Kinga orchid. The color of the flowers can be either snow-white with pinkish tints, or deep crimson. The flowering period lasts from February to almost June. Sometimes there is repeated flowering in the fall. "Berry Oda" is an unpretentious plant that feels great in an apartment. The height of the bush reaches 40 centimeters. Orchid leaves are covered with glossy skin. The tip of each long leaf ends with a dark green pointed end. A fairly short peduncle gives 4 or 6 flowers of an amazing purple hue.

Dendrobium orchid "Lindley" forms a low rounded pseudobulb, shaped like an oval and, in fact, is a stem. Peduncles grow long and downward. The flowers grow in a beautiful golden hue and with a pleasant scent. The leaf appears large and leathery. Dendrobium can dissolve buds both once and a couple of times a year. Dendrobium "Sa-nuk" is a hybrid variety developed in Thailand. Its flowers are small in size, painted in a pastel yellow shade. Flowering is profuse.

Dendrobium orchid "Hibiki" grows slowly, but for many weeks it pleases gardeners with exquisite two-color flowers: with pink petals and an orange-colored lip. The height of the flower is 20 centimeters. The leaves have a leathery surface of a light green hue. A small peduncle forms from 7 to 15 buds. Flowering occurs once a year and lasts up to 5 months.

Dendrobium does not tolerate transplantation very well, therefore, this procedure is allowed very rarely - only once in three years at the junction of February and March, or under certain conditions. The latter include decomposition or compaction of the soil, its acidification or decay of the root system. Even after the purchase, orchids are planted in a new pot only the following spring.

The vessel must be made of plastic: both transparent and opaque containers are suitable. It is better for novice gardeners to take a transparent pot, so it will be possible to control the condition of the roots. Ceramics and glass are not recommended for planting, because these materials can cause hypothermia of the root system.The use of plastic containers or even wooden baskets is even encouraged.

An orchid should never be planted in a planter that does not have drainage holes. The root system must necessarily get access to air, in addition, stagnant water must not form inside. Experts categorically do not recommend purchasing pots that have a pot-bellied shape. Since the roots of dendrobium are not distinguished by their resistance, if a transplant is necessary, when the plant is removed from the container, they will surely break.

The composition of the soil can be different. Some experts suggest using only pine bark. The size of the pieces is related to the size of the root system. The larger the plant, the larger the fragments are. Some add sphagnum to the soil - this increases its moisture capacity and reduces the regularity of watering. In addition, the orchid will respond well to the addition of charcoal, which reduces the likelihood of rotting.

The best dendrobium pot is made of clay and is 4 centimeters larger than the previous one. As soon as the orchid is taken out of the pots, it moves into a solution of succinic acid, which is a tablet dissolved in a liter of water. It is necessary to wait about a third of an hour until the roots turn milky green. Next, the flower is taken out of the water and transferred to paper napkins to dry completely. This usually takes about half an hour.

Further, at the bottom of the new pot, a drainage layer is laid out - the bark of a large fraction. The orchid is located in it so that mature pseudobulbs are next to the walls of the container - this will leave room for new shoots. The root collar should rise to the surface, and the roots should straighten out. The space between the roots is filled with substrate, gently slapped by hand. Irrigation can be carried out only after 7 days, or better 10, when the roots are restored, and the wounds on them disappear. The exact time depends on the size of the root system.

Dendrobium orchid is easy to ruin if you violate the rules of care, for example, organize the wrong irrigation system or insufficient moisture. In general, such a variety requires conditions that are unusual for other orchids.

High-quality lighting is very important for the dendrobium orchid, but it should not burn out in summer from an excess of ultraviolet radiation. In winter, when the plant does not have enough light, the shoots can bend and not form the required number of buds. In such cases, it is imperative to use additional artificial lighting, allowing you to stretch the daylight hours up to 12 hours. Both special phytolamps and ordinary fluorescent bulbs are suitable for this purpose. Also, if possible, move the pots to the sills of south-facing windows. In spring and summer, orchids will thrive on east and west windows.

Since most dendrobium orchids enter the resting phase in winter, temperatures in cold and warm seasons differ for them. In summer, the flower is kept at a temperature of 22 to 28 degrees, and in winter - from 17 to 20 degrees Celsius. During active growth, the temperature can be 25 degrees during the day and 20 degrees at night. In the fall, rates drop to 20 degrees during the day and 10 degrees at night. It is worth mentioning that the orchid simply will not survive the heat above 30 degrees Celsius.

Temperature determines the state of the orchid only when the lighting is at the optimum level. If the flower is poorly lit, then more degrees will not play a special role. It should be remembered that too high a temperature leads to an acceleration of the evaporation process of the liquid, which means that it is necessary to additionally increase the humidity. This is done by regular spraying or by installing pallets with wet moss or water with pebbles.

Dendrobium needs high humidity. To achieve it, the flowers are sprayed with settled water or placed on pallets with moistened expanded clay or pebbles. Using a commercially available humidifier will also work. Spraying is carried out only at a time when direct sunlight does not fall on the orchid, that is, in the early morning or late evening. Otherwise, it will be easy to provoke a burn resulting from the refraction of light in the liquid droplets.

Taking care of a dendrobium orchid at home is not so difficult - it is just important to consider a few important points.

When the orchid begins its active growing season, it should be watered twice a week, waiting for the soil to dry out completely. The drying speed, by the way, depends not only on the temperature in the room, and not even on the size of the container in which the dendrobium is located. If moisture accumulates in the pan, then it should be drained, since the roots of the plant do not tolerate excessive moisture poorly. The water should be soft, slightly warm, ideally filtered. If the flower begins a dormant period, then the amount of irrigation should be reduced to a minimum.

It is more successful to use the soaking method, accompanied by top watering of the soil from a watering can. Everything is carried out as follows: a vessel is taken, the volume of which exceeds the volume of a pot with a flower, and is filled with water. The orchid is placed there for about half an hour, although the larger the pot, the longer it will take to soak. After the above time, excess water is drained, and the orchid returns to its usual habitat. In addition, it is recommended to blot the sinuses of the leaves with a napkin, as their decay is possible, especially if the ambient temperature is rather low.

When fertilizing the dendrobium orchid, it is important to dilute any solutions, reducing the concentration by half, since its root system is highly sensitive. Those varieties that do not need a dormant period can be fed once a month with a special potassium-phosphorus fertilizer. If the variety requires wintering, then the frequency of fertilization increases to a couple of three times a month, and during the dormant period, feeding stops altogether. In this case, nitrogen-containing compositions are used.

Many gardeners supplement the usual complexes of fertilizers with succinic acid, which is an organic biostimulant. Being a non-toxic substance, the acid increases the plant's resistance, the ability to withstand adverse environmental conditions, and also to recover in quarantine or after transplantation. Succinic acid is used in the form of a solution, which can be purchased in a specialized store in the form of a spray.

Alternatively, it is allowed to take a succinic acid tablet and simply dissolve it in a liter of water. With the resulting solution, the orchid can be processed for three days - during this period it will not lose its useful properties.

The cutting of the pseudobulb of the orchid is carried out after its final drying, symbolizing that the flower was able to derive the maximum benefit: to obtain both useful substances and liquid. As for the peduncle, you should not cut it off until there are buds that can bloom. An exception may be the drying of the stem, but in this case, at least a minimal stump is still left.

In order for the dendrobium to bloom successfully, it is necessary that it be able to overwinter correctly earlier. The temperature for the rest period should be between 12 and 15 degrees, in addition, good lighting is important. In late February or early March, the orchid blooms successfully. If the buds do not appear on time, then you should think about increasing the feeding. When the dendrobium purchased in the store has faded, and the soil mixture is still in optimal condition, you should not worry. You don't need to do anything further, since you won't need a transplant.

If the home flower fades, then you can immediately expect the appearance of new shoots. In this case, you will still have to transfer the dendrobium to a new place of residence. After waiting for the fresh pseudobulbs to grow 10 centimeters in height, you can move the plant to a new pot. By the way, if the flowers appeared only at the top of the pseudobulb, then you should not completely cut off the flower arrow, since the buds may still wake up on it, while they are still at rest.

Many gardeners note that sometimes dendrobium simply refuses to bloom if any conditions of maintenance or care are not followed. Therefore, the first step is to find out to which temperature group a particular plant belongs. All varieties of dendrobiums are divided into six categories, and each requires special maintenance. You can only make an orchid bloom by following a well-thought-out plan.

Dendrobium orchid can be propagated by cuttings, children, or by dividing a bush. Babies usually grow up at the top of the pseudobulb. Their separation can occur only after the appearance of their own root system. The roots of the baby should reach at least 5 centimeters, after which it can be cut off with an ordinary sharp knife or separated by twisting around the axis. The resulting plant is dried for several days in the fresh air or is processed in the cut area with garden pitch. You can put a little baby in a container with a very fine crust.

Reproduction by cuttings is carried out using a pseudobulb, separated from the mother bush. Each is cut into several particles, the length of which is 10 centimeters. The cut sites are then necessarily treated with a special substance. All cuttings are transferred to a bag filled with moss and moistened. The next couple of months they will go through the process of creating a root system. For everything to be effective, it is important to provide the cuttings with ventilation and diffused lighting every day, and also to make sure that the room is warm. Once the cuttings are 5 cm roots, they can be planted in separate pots.

By dividing the bush, only mature and strong plants with at least 6 pseudobulbs are propagated. As a rule, after separating, the resulting plants can be immediately planted in new places.The mother tuber is cut so that each part has either a pair of pseudobulbs, or one young sprout and one pseudobulb. We must not forget about the importance of the roots for each section. At the end of the procedure, the sections are necessarily coated with garden varnish. By the way, we must not forget about the importance of preliminary cleaning of the tools used.

Dendrobium orchid often falls prey to various diseases. For example, the leaves turn yellow or become stained, the shape of the flowers themselves changes, and sometimes the buds, in principle, do not open. In the latter case, the plant cannot be treated and can only be thrown away. Such symptoms are most often characteristic of viral diseases. In the case of bacterial diseases, individual parts of the orchid are affected by spots and rot, and sometimes fungi.

In this case, the orchid is separated from other plants in the room and freed from the affected parts by simply cutting them off. The cut points are treated with ordinary brilliant green or with a disinfectant. It is important to carry out a similar procedure as soon as symptoms of the disease have been noticed. After treating the dendrobium, it will have to be quarantined and monitored to see if spots or other manifestations return. If everything is in order, then you can return it to your "neighbors".

Yellowing leaves can be both a symbol of a bacterial disease, and a natural transition from one period of the cycle to another. For example, after the completion of flowering, the orchid needs time for further preparation - it is then that the leaves turn yellow. After that, the growth of new shoots and the root system begins. However, most often the yellow color appears due to improper irrigation or lack of nutrients in the soil mixture. When the yellow color appears in the form of specks and does not completely cover the leaf, it is probably a burn caused by direct sunlight.

Of the pests, the orchid is most often attacked by thrips, aphids and spider mites. Sometimes this happens due to too dry air, which means that it is eliminated by the introduction of regular spraying and other measures to increase humidity. For prevention purposes, it is better to treat dendrobium every two weeks with ordinary soapy water. A small number of insects can be eliminated simply by removing them from the sheets with a wet piece of cotton wool.

For information on how to care for a dendrobium orchid at home, see the next video.