Info on Orchids Needed

[missybonsai]

Hey there everyone!
All you orchid buffs out there, i could use a hand: my dad has had this rock orchid/rock lilly/bush orchid/whateveryoucallit for years now and it has never flowered. I am now attemtping to get it to flower.

It has always lived in a little rotting hollow log under the edge of a large azalea (i.e. it was in constant shade pretty much). After doing some online research, i have decided to move it from this position, as i have discovered they enjoy A LOT more sun than it gets. I gently pulled it up with all roots intact, and even discovered some new roots and a new cane (if thats what you call the trunk bit) beginning to grow.

It is now in a ceramic black pot which contains (from bottom to top) large river stones, large gravel, some potting mix (not very much, just enough to keep the roots in something more substantial than gravel) and all topped with a little spaghnum moss to keep the humidity up.

Its position is now on a bench that will get full sun in the morning and dappled sun for the rest of the day in summer, and almost full sun in winter. i have a cymbidium that produced 3-4 flower spikes after spending a winter in this position last year, and before that it hadnt flowered since i got it.

Any further advice e.g. fertisilising regime, watering, misting, different soil mediums? Thanks heaps for the help, theres just not a huge amount on the care of these in the net!

[Ash]

It could be a rock orchid Dendrobium speciosum - if so it will like a lot of nutrients and moisture when they are producing new growth and prefer to be a bit drier when it goes dormant for 'winter' after which it will flower if the winter is cold enough. Buy a good inorganic bloom booster type of fertilizer and apply it as per directions on the bottle at regular intervals from now until growth slows in mid 'autumn'.This will give it the N:P:K ratio appropriate for flowering. They flower in response to cold stimuli. Those of us who grow them in the lowland tropics take them 'up the hill' to friends places over the 'winter' to expose them to enough cold. You could visit an Australian Native Orchid Society meeting in your area and they will probably help you out a lot more with advice for your area.

Ash

[Joel]

Hi missy,

I am assuming you are referring to Dendrobium speciosum. If so, they are REALLY easy to grow. I suspect he reason there isn't too much info on them is not many gardeners grow it other than orchid growers. Orchid growers are introduced to this species early on and it is very easy to grow, so there is not much need for articles to be written.

First thing I would recommend is removing the potting mix. They really do not need it. Potting mix holds way to much moisture and doesn't allow for enough air circulation around the roots. I have seen them in the wild clinging to rock-faces with just a few dry leaves held between the canes. This is totally sufficient. I have also seen them mounted on boards in collections without anything on the roots. The roots just stick and crawl along the board.

This is not how I would recommend growing it however. I would suggest you make a mix of the pebbles and add about 20% coir chips (the kind sold for orchids is best - it can be purchased at large warehouse stores as a brick that you rehydrate and it falls apart) or 20% pine bark. If it has been growing in shade, do not move it out to full sun all at once. It will be able to tolerate full sun, and will flower best when it is in full sun, but moving it to full sun in one go will cause all the old foliage to burn and die. You could even lose the entire plant. I would recommend growing it in bright dappled sun, or morning sun. Even though it won't flower as much, you will have a happier and more vigorous plant with lush foliage this way.

Don't forget to fertilise it occasionally with a 1/4 strength liquid fertiliser. If you really want to encourage flowering, start fertilising now with a high potassium fertiliser throughout winter. This will force the plant to focus is energy on flowering.

I am growing several of these at home and they do make beautiful plants. My largest one is growing on top of a rock with a tiny amount of pine bark.

Good luck!
Joel

*EDIT* Damn I was beaten!

[Guy]

I'm in the dark with these--don't know if you starve or feed to get them to flower --probably better off on a orchid forum

[Paul B]

Hi Missy,

I have grown orchids for over 20 years and sadly to say if the plant in question is a Dendrobium speciosum, there are some out there that will never flower I have six large plants that sit next to each other and in the 15 years I have had them, one has never ever flowered. I have spoken to others I know and they have all had or heard of plants that never bloom
I would suggest, plenty of light, foolow the advice the others have given and if you have had no flowers within the next couple of springs, dump it and buy one in flower or one that at least has evidence of old flowering spikes.

Cheers

[missybonsai]

It could be a rock orchid Dendrobium speciosum - if so it will like a lot of nutrients and moisture when they are producing new growth and prefer to be a bit drier when it goes dormant for 'winter' after which it will flower if the winter is cold enough. Buy a good inorganic bloom booster type of fertilizer and apply it as per directions on the bottle at regular intervals from now until growth slows in mid 'autumn'.This will give it the N:P:K ratio appropriate for flowering. They flower in response to cold stimuli. Those of us who grow them in the lowland tropics take them 'up the hill' to friends places over the 'winter' to expose them to enough cold. You could visit an Australian Native Orchid Society meeting in your area and they will probably help you out a lot more with advice for your area.

Ash

Yes Ash, sorry I do mean Dendrobidium speciosum, its just i have heard them called so many common names didnt know which to put and forgot the scientific name! Thanks heaps, your advise is really valuable, and i will start using the fert asap. Well it cant get fairly cold with the occasional frost here in western sydney, so is that enough? also will the leaves get frost-burn? OK, i will check out the society, thanks

Hi missy,

I am assuming you are referring to Dendrobium speciosum. If so, they are REALLY easy to grow. I suspect he reason there isn't too much info on them is not many gardeners grow it other than orchid growers. Orchid growers are introduced to this species early on and it is very easy to grow, so there is not much need for articles to be written.

First thing I would recommend is removing the potting mix. They really do not need it. Potting mix holds way to much moisture and doesn't allow for enough air circulation around the roots. I have seen them in the wild clinging to rock-faces with just a few dry leaves held between the canes. This is totally sufficient. I have also seen them mounted on boards in collections without anything on the roots. The roots just stick and crawl along the board.

This is not how I would recommend growing it however. I would suggest you make a mix of the pebbles and add about 20% coir chips (the kind sold for orchids is best - it can be purchased at large warehouse stores as a brick that you rehydrate and it falls apart) or 20% pine bark. If it has been growing in shade, do not move it out to full sun all at once. It will be able to tolerate full sun, and will flower best when it is in full sun, but moving it to full sun in one go will cause all the old foliage to burn and die. You could even lose the entire plant. I would recommend growing it in bright dappled sun, or morning sun. Even though it won't flower as much, you will have a happier and more vigorous plant with lush foliage this way.

Don't forget to fertilise it occasionally with a 1/4 strength liquid fertiliser. If you really want to encourage flowering, start fertilising now with a high potassium fertiliser throughout winter. This will force the plant to focus is energy on flowering.

I am growing several of these at home and they do make beautiful plants. My largest one is growing on top of a rock with a tiny amount of pine bark.

Good luck!
Joel

*EDIT* Damn I was beaten!

OK Joel, thanks, i will remove the soil when i get the pine park. it seems to be washing out when watering anyway. Well at the moment it is now recieving full sun from about 8-12ish, and after investigation it was getting this amount orginally, but now will get more in winter. so far no ill effects from the sunlight, so hopefully will stay that way So by liquid fert, i have granules for orchids that you dissolve in water, do you mean this or something like seaweed solution? and how often should i water while i think on it? i mean does it like being damp or prefer dry in general? Thanks heaps for your input

Hi Missy,

I have grown orchids for over 20 years and sadly to say if the plant in question is a Dendrobium speciosum, there are some out there that will never flower I have six large plants that sit next to each other and in the 15 years I have had them, one has never ever flowered. I have spoken to others I know and they have all had or heard of plants that never bloom
I would suggest, plenty of light, foolow the advice the others have given and if you have had no flowers within the next couple of springs, dump it and buy one in flower or one that at least has evidence of old flowering spikes.

Cheers

Oh no Paul, dont tell me that! Only joking, thanks for the heads-up Well i certainly hope mine is not one, at the moment just putting it down to insufficient light and nutrients Thanks for your advise

[shibui]

Paul B wrote:
Hi Missy,

I have grown orchids for over 20 years and sadly to say if the plant in question is a Dendrobium speciosum, there are some out there that will never flower I have six large plants that sit next to each other and in the 15 years I have had them, one has never ever flowered. I have spoken to others I know and they have all had or heard of plants that never bloom
I would suggest, plenty of light, foolow the advice the others have given and if you have had no flowers within the next couple of springs, dump it and buy one in flower or one that at least has evidence of old flowering spikes.

Cheers
Oh no Paul, dont tell me that! Only joking, thanks for the heads-up Well i certainly hope mine is not one, at the moment just putting it down to insufficient light and nutrients Thanks for your advise

Many years ago some respected ANOS growers recommendation to get recalcitrant speciosums to flower was to place them on or near a north facing brick wall. It appears they flower in desperation when conditions get really harsh and once started continue to do so, even when moved to more favorable conditions. I'd give yours a bit of a chance before resorting to such drastic measures. Maybe just the threat will be enough.

Winter in Sydney should be cold enough to stimulate flowering, after all thats part of their natural range. Here, where it gets a bit cooler in winter, I need to provide some shelter to stop the frost burning the leaves.

[missybonsai]

Paul B wrote:
Hi Missy,

I have grown orchids for over 20 years and sadly to say if the plant in question is a Dendrobium speciosum, there are some out there that will never flower I have six large plants that sit next to each other and in the 15 years I have had them, one has never ever flowered. I have spoken to others I know and they have all had or heard of plants that never bloom
I would suggest, plenty of light, foolow the advice the others have given and if you have had no flowers within the next couple of springs, dump it and buy one in flower or one that at least has evidence of old flowering spikes.

Cheers
Oh no Paul, dont tell me that! Only joking, thanks for the heads-up Well i certainly hope mine is not one, at the moment just putting it down to insufficient light and nutrients Thanks for your advise

Many years ago some respected ANOS growers recommendation to get recalcitrant speciosums to flower was to place them on or near a north facing brick wall. It appears they flower in desperation when conditions get really harsh and once started continue to do so, even when moved to more favorable conditions. I'd give yours a bit of a chance before resorting to such drastic measures. Maybe just the threat will be enough.

Winter in Sydney should be cold enough to stimulate flowering, after all thats part of their natural range. Here, where it gets a bit cooler in winter, I need to provide some shelter to stop the frost burning the leaves.

Thanks Shibui, I will keep that in mind, but yes will give it a few years to build up some strength first. OK so if theres frost predicted i should try and protect it?

[Pup]

Not sure if they are speciosa but we have four different ones in the shade area of my wife's fernery, and one sits on a ledge out side the kitchen window facing west under the patio with a tin roof none of them have never, not flowered.

They are all in bonsai mix in pots they get fertilised at the same time as my Bonsai using yates fruit and flower, as phostrogen is no longer available.

Regards Pup