Viewing post #633882 by shadytrake

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Jun 8, 2014 9:36 AM CST
Name: Melissa
Memphis, TN (Zone 8a)
Bee Lover Enjoys or suffers hot summers Permaculture Orchids Hummingbirder Hostas
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Hi Lorli,

It is definitely a Dendrobium and from the Callista section.

That could be Dendrobium farmeri and it has had a lot of water and not enough light. Andy's specializes in species, so normally purchases from him are species rather than hybrids, which makes identifying a bit easier.

If not farmeri (p-bulbs look a bit short), then most likely Den chrysotoxum. Both are from the section Callista so they require the same care.

All of these require a harsh winter rest in order to encourage blooming. They do NOT like to be re-potted and will sulk for sometimes years after.

They have white flowers with a yellow throat/white lip that last only about 1 week. Mine gets daily watering on a mount starting only when new growth appears in the spring (this year that was April). We stopped watering it in November and only gave it the occasional mist every 2 weeks. It is hanging on the uppermost part of the greenhouse It gets as much sun as the 30% shade cloth will give it during the summer (not direct). We keep the greenhouse no lower than 50 in the winter.

It is too late this year to get blooms on yours, but being in NY maybe not. It needs a lot more of an open light area (morning sun for several hours indirect) and on that mount maybe water every other day. If it decides to put out spikes, you will see them look like my pictures. You definitely need to abuse it in the winter though otherwise it will not bloom. Just think, dry, dry, dry...spritz during winter.

Those p-bulbs store a lot of water so that it can feed the plant. You can see in my photos of farmeri that the p-bulbs are much thinner because they draw from that source in the winter. If yours is chrysotoxum it will still shrink up quite a bit during the winter.

Den chrysotoxum is yellow with either a yellow throat or a dark mahogany throat (var. suavissimum). I don't have chrysotoxum in my collection yet, but I have all of the others in Callista and they all require the same care to get them to bloom.

Here is a link to chrysotoxum showing the p-bulbs.

https://www.google.com/search?...




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Last edited by shadytrake Jun 8, 2014 9:44 AM Icon for preview

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