Dendrobium is an exotic epiphytic plant with large fragrant flowers. You can meet him on the trees of the rainforests of Australia, the Philippines, East Asia and South America. It belongs to the Orchid family and has absorbed all its charm. Long peduncles, covered with many beautiful flowers, appear with enviable regularity. Moreover, it is the dendrobium that is the least capricious and difficult to maintain. A sufficient amount of diligence will help even a novice to grow beautiful plants.
Plant description
Dendrobium is a perennial herb. Its appearance varies greatly, depending on the species. Plants live on trees, so their root system is compact. Smooth pseudobulbs grow in segments, which reminds stems with a round or ribbed cross-section. They are erect or creeping. Plant height is from 2 cm to 5 m. The duration of an individual pseudobulb is 2-4 years.
At the base of the shoot, oval or lanceolate leathery leaves grow from the roots. They sit on the bulb and form a continuous ring. As the foliage grows, it moves to the top of the stem. Most dendrobiums are evergreen, but with a long period of drought, individual species discard foliage.
In spring, after a period of rest, a thin elastic peduncle grows from the top of the pseudobulb. It is simple or branched and carries a racemose inflorescence. Flowers of various shades and shapes may be odorless or exude a delicate, pleasant aroma. The wide oval lip at the base of the column is folded into a tube. The column itself has an elongated leg, which fuses with the lateral sepals in the form of a saccular outgrowth. Dendrobium blooming does not occur every year, but the longer the break, the more buds will form.
Popular views
The genus of dendrobium is one of the most diverse. It includes more than 1200 plant species. Some of them:
Dendrobium Nobile (D. nobile) or noble. Large plants with an erect, leafy stem. Fleshy thickened joints are wrapped in oval-shaped sitting leaves. Leathery foliage grows in 2 rows. In each composition, on a short peduncle, axillary flowers bloom, grouped in 2-3 pieces. The egg-shaped petals at the base are painted in a cream shade, and towards the edge they become saturated lilac. At the base of the pubescent lip there is a dark purple spot. Due to its high decorative properties, this particular species is most often grown indoors.
Dendrobium Phalaenopsis (D. phalaenopsis). Large plant with thickened, erect pseudobulbs. The shoots at the bottom are bare, and on top are covered with vaginal dark green leaves of a lanceolate shape. A thin peduncle, up to 60 cm in length, is densely covered with large flowers, under the weight of which the brush bends somewhat. Buds are made up of colorful petals. Along the edge they are painted white, and towards the base they become pinkish. The three-lobed lip has a large dark purple spot.
Lindley Dendrobium (D. lindleyi). A low epiphytic plant grows fleshy erect shoots up to 8 cm in length. Outwardly, they are more like classic pseudobulbs. Each grows a single oval leaf of emerald hue. During the flowering period, long arched peduncles appear, branched at the end. They are abundantly covered with small golden yellow flowers with a strong aroma. The diameter of the flower is 2-5 cm.
King Dendrobium (D. kingianum). Epiphytic plants with erect, thickened shoots covered with whitish films. Sedentary leaves of a lanceolate or ovoid form can grow up to 30 cm in length. They are collected in the upper part of the sprout in a group of 3-4 pieces. A loose brush with a small number of tiny fragrant flowers blooms at the top of the stem. The pointed petals of a whitish or violet color fuse along the edges. At the bottom there is a brighter three-lobed lip.
Dendronium of Parish (D. parishii). The deciduous epiphyte forms a dense leaf rosette at the base of the shoot. Rigid oval leaflets with a pointed end grow 5-10 cm in length. The length of a cylindrical, hanging pseudobulb reaches 40 cm. The flower stalk grows on mature leafless bulbs. It carries large pink-lilac flowers with a delicate aroma. The diameter of the flower is 5-10 cm.
Breeding methods
At home, dendrobium is propagated by vegetative methods. Do this during a planned transplant. Large bush can be divided. Too often, the procedure is not recommended. At least 3-4 years, the orchid should grow. The flower, which has grown 6-8 pseudobulbs, is freed from the soil and cut with a sterile blade so that 2-3 bulbs and part of the sprout are in the divide. Places of cuts are necessarily treated with crushed charcoal. After that, the resulting plants are planted in fresh soil.
More gentle and convenient is the reproduction by children or side shoots. They appear at the base of the stem and already have their own roots. It is possible to stimulate the development of children by increasing humidity immediately after the wilting of the flowers and feeding the dendrobium complex with nitrogen. When the baby’s own roots grow by 3-5 cm, with the help of a blade it is separated from the main plant, capturing part of the mother stem. Places cut treated with activated carbon. To nourish the roots, the shoot is put in a glass of boiled water for several minutes. For a small plant, a small diameter pot with special soil is prepared. Landing is carried out very carefully so as not to break thin roots.
Landing and home care
Orchid dendrobium, although it is considered relatively unpretentious, requires compliance with a number of rules. She does not like transplantation, therefore they do not conduct it often. Delicate roots are easily damaged, after which orchids recover for a long time. It is enough to transplant the plant every 3-4 years.
The flower should be removed from the old container, and together with a lump of earth immersed in a basin of warm water. The soil will completely lag behind the roots with minimal damage. The new pot should be small, in a tight container, plants develop better and bloom more abundantly. It is important not to deepen the rhizome. Aerial roots should remain on the surface. In the first 1-2 weeks after the procedure, part of the old leaves may turn yellow and fall off.
Before use, the soil for dendrobium must be poured with boiling water for 10-15 minutes, and then dried. It consists of the following components:
- pieces of pine bark;
- charcoal;
- coconut fiber;
- sphagnum moss;
- fern roots;
- peat.
This orchid loves light, it should be placed in a room with bright diffused lighting. Even in winter, it is necessary to provide the dendrobium with a twelve-hour daylight. In this case, direct sunlight should in no case fall on the plant. From time to time, the flower is rotated relative to the light source so that it develops evenly.
In the summer, you can take the dendrobium to fresh air, protecting it from drafts and precipitation. Although the plant loves water, our rains are too cold for it. It is on the street that it will be easiest to provide the necessary daily temperature drops, because the temperature regime is the most difficult option when growing plants. In spring and summer, daytime temperatures should be between + 15 ... + 20 ° C, and nighttime temperatures + 5 ... + 10 ° C. In autumn and winter, during rest periods, the temperature in the room should be + 10 ... + 15 ° C. At night, it can remain at the same level or decrease by 2-3 ° C.
Throughout the year, the dendrobium needs high air humidity (about 70-80%). For this, plants are regularly sprayed from the spray gun, placed near trays with water or wet pebbles, and in winter they use air humidifiers. Do not place pots near radiators. Even in winter with a cool content, the humidity should be as high as possible.
In spring and summer, during the period of active growth, orchids are regularly watered 1-2 times a week. For this, a pot with a plant is lowered for 15-20 minutes into a basin with warm, well-purified water. They boil water before use, it should be slightly warmer than the environment. The soil should always be slightly moist, if its surface is dry, watering should be started immediately. Also, bathing under the hot (35-40 ° C) shower is regularly held throughout the year.
Fertilize dendrobium with special compositions for orchids. During the resting period, feeding is stopped or complexes without nitrogen are used. Fertilizer is bred in water and poured into the soil.
With improper care, the dendrobium suffers from fungal diseases. If the infection is small, it is enough to remove the affected leaves and carry out a fungicide treatment. Of the parasites on the orchid, spider mites and aphids most often settle. Insects are disposed of with a hot shower and soapy water, although some growers prefer an insecticide.
Flowering dendrobium
Young orchids bloom for 4-5 years of life. In children, flowers may appear a year after planting. In order to stimulate the appearance of inflorescences, it is very important to maintain bright illumination throughout the year and observe the temperature regime during dormancy. During flowering, regular watering and top dressing is important so that children appear.
Vegetative development continues until the end of autumn. When the peduncle is completely dry, it can be cut off. At the same time, the old pseudobulbs begin to wrinkle and dry, but they cannot be removed, since they nourish the children.
