How to Grow Dendrobium nobile

Dendrobium Red Emperor 'Prince'

Dendrobium nobile hybrids make stunning potted plants. Staked upright they look exactly like a living bouquet, with flowers spaced so closely that it becomes hard to see the plant underneath. Dendrobium Red Emperor 'Prince', which we used in our Orchid Daze display,  is an especially vivid color combination--deep fuchsia and yellow. We are selling them today and tomorrow at our Gently Used Plant Sale.

Dendrobium nobile hybrids are seldom seen at retail outlets, unlike the ubiquitous Dendrobium phalaenopsis hybrids which you are probably familiar with. Dendrobium is a huge genus, widespread throughout Asia and diverse in morphology. Thus, there are many types (the group is divided into sections) of dendrobiums with different cultural requirements.

The Yamamoto Dendrobium website gives an illuminating description of the habitat: The nobile type Dendrobiums are  native to SE Asia and grow on branches of tall trees (read: needs very bright light) in cool areas up to 3,000 ft. elevation where night temperatures may drop near freezing in winter (read: cold temps are required in winter for bud initiation). There are two seasons: rainy summer and a dry winter in which there is very little rain for four months.'

In a nutshell: warm moist slightly shaded summer followed by cool dry full sun winter. We grow our plants in a 50% shade humid greenhouse and move them to a cold greenhouse (53 to 55 º nights) from November to New Year's.

The folks at Yamamoto have produced some terrific pages with detailed cultural information. If you are buying Dendrobium  nobiles at our Gently Used Plant Sale I would recommend that you keep them at 55º to 75º in order to maximize the longevity of the flowers.

How to Grow the Oncidium Intergenerics

Beallara Big Shot 'Kitty Kat'

Among the Dancing Lady orchids, subtribe Oncidiinae, the Oncidium intergenerics are the ballet corps: beautiful, even fragile looking, but in fact, quite strong.

Beallara Marfitch 'Howard's Dream'

Subtribe is one rung above genus on the taxonomic ladder. Genera within the (formerly) large genus Oncidium are closely enough related that hybridization is possible among them.

Beallara Tahoma Glacier 'Sugar Sweet'

Beautiful but tough--that's the goal of all of the breeding involved in making one of these complicated hybrids.  Want to buy one of those gorgeous high elevation Odontoglossum for your place in Atlanta? Why not just set your money on fire? Try a Beallara instead. Beallara combines four genera. Odontoglossum and Cochlioda for frills plus Miltonia and Brassia for warmth tolerance. There are lots of different Oncidium intergenerics bred for beauty and ease of growing.

Odontioda  Hot Pants 'Hot Stuff'

Oncidium intergenerics

Light

A few hours of mild but direct morning sun on an east facing window sill will provide enough light intensity for flowering. Make sure there are no trees or buildings blocking the light. A west-facing exposure will work if you make sure the leaves don't feel hot to the touch. In a greenhouse, 50% shade.

Temperature

All orchids like a daily 15º difference between day and night temperatures. The annual temperature range should be between 58º low (at night in winter) and 83º high (daytime in summer).

Water

Take a good look at the potting mix every day for the next week and learn to recognize the change in color & moisture that accompanies the drying-out process. The top 1/2 inch of potting mix will be lighter in color and drier on day six than on day one. Drench thoroughly from above when that top 1/2" looks dry. Saucers that allow standing water to accumulate and flow back into drainage holes are a bad idea.

Pots and Potting Media

You did pick a pot with drainage holes, right? Putting that pot inside another pot without drainage holes is cheating. Your plant will know. Your plant will know that you value waterstain-free furniture above its own life and it will die.
Oncidium intergenerics like to grow in relatively small pots in either a fir bark-based orchid mix (which you can buy from most garden centers) or a New Zealand sphagnum moss mixture (purchased online).

Fertilizer

1/2 strength all purpose soluble fertilizer every two weeks.

Odontocidium St. Anthony of Egypt 'Huina Road'

How to Grow the Pansy Orchid (Miltoniopsis)

The Pansy Orchid (Miltoniopsis)

If you're thinking about dropping by our Gently Used Plant Sale on Wednesday or Thursday of this week to scoop up some of the delicious orchids from our OrchidDaze display you may want some information about how to grow them. I'll post a new care sheet each day this week for you.
The Pansy Orchids are gorgeous.

The Pansy Orchid (Miltoniopsis)

Miltoniopsis is a genus of six tropical orchid species native to Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. They grow in moist humid forests ranging from warm lowlands to cooler highlands up to 2200 m. The hybrid offspring of these species which are commercially available today have been bred for large flower size and warmth tolerance. The hybrids typically flower in April, May and June, but commercial growers can force them into flower year round by giving them two months of short days at 68º, followed by two additional months of short days with nighttime lows between 52º and 58º.

Light

Miltoniopsis need to be shaded from hot sun. A couple of hours of mild morning sun in an unobstructed east window is good. In a greenhouse 75% shade.

Temperature

Miltoniopsis like mild temperatures. Try to keep the daytime temperature below 80º. Most orchids like a 15º difference between the daytime high and the night time low temperature. Miltoniopsis need cool temperatures at night (52º to 58º) in winter in order to set buds.

Humidity

70% to 80% is ideal.

Pots & Potting Media

Grow Miltoniopsis in relatively small pots. Two mixes work well for us: a bark-based mix (equal parts fine fir bark, charcoal and perlite) or a moss-based mix (equal parts New Zealand sphagnum and tree fern fiber). Repot every two years.

Water

Miltoniopsis should dry slightly between watering, but never become bone dry. Drench thoroughly. The drainage holes of the pot should not be immersed in water.

Fertilizer

1/4 to 1/2 strength every two weeks with a soluble general purpose fertilizer.

The Gently Used Plant Sale!

Pansy Orchid (Miltoniopsis)

When: Wednesday April 18 & Thursday April 19 from 9 am until 4 pm.
Where: Georgia Pacific Classroom (located in the Fuqua Orchid Center)
Prices: Start at $15 for blooming orchids; 2 for $15 for non-blooming orchids

Almost as popular as our annual Orchid Daze display is the Gently Used Plant Sale! that follows it, when we sell off many of the display orchids.

The orchids look great. The Pansy Orchids above were bought in three weeks ago in bud in order to get our display through its final two weeks. The flowers should last for weeks.

Beallara Tahoma Glacier 'Sugar Sweet'

At the sale there will be written information and volunteers available to answer your questions about orchid care. On Monday and Tuesday I will post orchid care information on this blog.

Beallara Marfitch 'Howard's Dream'

This year's orchids were exceptionally beautiful. Plan to come to the sale early to scoop up the freshest material. The sale is very popular. Some of you (names withheld) have been giving our plants the 'shoppers eye' for weeks.

Phalaenopsis hybrid

True story: On Wednesday I got a call from our receptionist. Standing in front of her was a hand wringing bride-to-be who had the mistaken notion that our sale was today. The woman's wedding is this Saturday. She was planning to buy all of our white orchids for wedding decorations and, Could we please remove the orchids from the display now and sell them to her? 


I've been taking calls like this all week.