PlantFiles: Dendrobium Pramot
Dendrobium

Dendrobiums are epiphytic orchids. In nature they grow on trees, at times on rocks, with their roots exposed to the air. When it rains they are drenched with water, then the roots dry in the air. Therefore Dendrobiums do not like to be kept moist.

They grow best in relatively small pots, in a quick-draining medium (never soil) where the roots can drain and dry after watering. Most people grow them in bark, or an inorganic mixture, usually lava rock, pumice, or aliflor (a ceramic product), with charcoal and sponge roc to help retain some moisture while providing excellent drainage. Some people grow theirs exclusively in sponge roc (large perlite) and charcoal mix, this is easier to find and less expensive.

Dendrobiums definitely like to be fertilized, but decrease to amount of fertilizer to 1/2 or 1/4 the strength recommended on the label and feed every few weeks.

Most Dendrobiums require strong filtered light to bloom, some direct sun, especially in the morning is good, but they will burn if left in the noonday sun.

Really, they are fairly easy to grow. They will not rebloom on the old spike but do frequently rebloom on the old canes, and some bloom more than once a year.

I bought my dendrobium in August of 2002 at Target of all places. It was a deal for $7. It had a lot of blooms and lasted for a few months. I cut the spike expecting new growth about and inch and a half from the last bloom. I didn't see any new growth until October of 2003 after it spent the summer outside. That new stem didn't last long though. I keep the soil moist hoping for a miracle. Maybe I will fertilize it. Is there still hope or should I start over with a new orchid.

This is the first orchid that I attempted to grow. Rooted on lava rock, and placed on a bed of gravel, I keep 1 inch of water in the bottom of the container, at all times to increase humidity. I also keep the plant in indirect sunlight to prevent "burning" of the leaves. After the blooms dropped, plantlets formed, which I left on the mother till good roots developed. Easy plant to grow, with lovely hot pink to deep pink blooms, and wonderful fragrence.