Care Advice for Dendrobium Orchids

The epiphyte species of orchid are known for liking the surroundings of trees and rockeries, one member of this species is the Dendrobium orchid. Despite the liking for, and living among these surfaces the Dendrobium, and the epiphyte species are in no way considered to be parasites.

This is because the plant will retrieve its required nutrients from other means but not the tree or object it is attached to, for this reason they are known as ‘air plants’ – Dendrobiums can be found in the following locations;

- Australia
- Borneo
- Far East
- New Guinea
- New Zealand
- Philippines

There are more than 1,200 species of Dendrobiums with a vast array of shades and differing from small to large petals, a few of the orchids are known to many others are not so well renowned.

This species is great for newcomers to the orchid growing scene, as dendrobium care is very simple, but with this said experienced orchid growers will still benefit from them with their beauty when in bloom, after putting in the effort there is plenty to get out of these orchids. Another real treat with the Dendrobiums is they can grow indoors or out and still flourish.

A fascinating fact of Dendrobiums: The common pseudo bulb is not found with them, but they have ‘pups’, small knobs that protrude from the stem, this allows them to proliferate.

The maintaining of damp roots is a must with any orchid, until the plant lays dormant, and then the root must be allowed to become fully dry. Throughout this period you will see your orchid’s stems resemble bamboo, then when it returns to an active plant again the stems will begin to show swelling and watering can commence to dampen the roots again.

The best and most effective way to be sure if your orchid is requiring water is to test the weight of its pot in your hands, a light pot means that water is required, and the opposite means that the orchid has sufficient water for the time being. This is a tried and tested method that proves to be reliable, and has been over many years, as you gain experience you will be able to know by looking at your plant if water is needed.

Misting your plants regularly is vital, none more so than through the summer days, the summer time causes the orchids to become dry rapidly, so a gentle spray daily is very important for baby or unhealthy plants.

There are experienced growers that believe planting the seeds in a not so heavy soil and wetting it once is sufficient until the roots begin to show, and in the mean time spraying or misting them daily.

Any beginner can and will benefit from dampening, the process of wetting the area around the pot containing the orchids creating an atmosphere of moisture – a very natural way for your orchids to receive their nutrients.

And monitoring the PH levels of the water is a vital part of dendrobium care also; the ideal level should be 4.5 to 5.0, so a little more to acid than alkali. You may find upon checking that you need to adjust the levels for your water, seek help in achieving this.