PO Box 24425 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33307 US
Aporum section
Cultural Information
SPECIES:
There are several ways to grow any orchid. Some work better than others. Just because your plant is growing and sometimes produces some flowers does not mean that it is being grown in the most optimum conditions. In growing any new species, I try to find out as much information as I possibly can about it first. A big contributing factor usually is, where does the plant come from? So find out which country, geographical area, and climactic conditions in which it grows. You can find out rainfall and seasonal information on local websites for those areas. What a wonderful the computer age has given us.
Potting or Mounting: I have noticed that growing this group of Dendrobiums, that the broader and thicker leaf plants tend to like more water than the more terete leaf plants. Because of this, plants which have those broader leaves like anceps and keithii, I grow in plastic Vanda baskets with sphagnum moss. This allows the plant's roots to become thoroughly saturated and hold on to moisture longer, while still receiving plenty of good air circulation. If you mount any of this type, make sure that you water or mist them a few times per day during the warmer months.
Plants with thinner, more terete leaves tend to do better mounted, but still like plenty of water. Tree fern slabs are ideal though wooden branches are also adequate.
Light: I give these plants as much possible light that I can but without giving them any direct sun. Terete leaf plants can take a bit of direct sunlight up until about 1 PM, but not really any after that, again, it will depend on how you are growing. If you have a misting system, then they will be able to take some direct sun longer in the day, just hope that your misters never give you an issue.
Water: Both of these types like quite a bit of water while actively growing and a drier, but not completely dry winter period. Only lessen the water, do not stop it completely.
Fertilizer: for most of the year stopping in the winter months.
Section Descriptions
(Pictured above Dendrobium anceps growing in a 10 inch, plastic Vanda basket with sphagnum moss with grower John Romano)
Plants within this group are characterized by stems which start out erect, but as they grow, age and lengthen, then tend to become pendulous. Stems can be somewhat shorter to long with leaves which are close together, often overlapping, flattened and usually forming an acute pointy tip. Plants bloom from a short, single flowered inflorescence, or clusters of inflorescences which usually have a chaffy bract, r from terminal leafless extensions, which may, or may not form keikis after blooming. Inflorescences normally appear on one of the "thinner' sides of the stem, typically in the direction away from the plants light source. Flowers tend to be short lived
The species most commonly grown from this group is Dendrobium anceps, though Den. keithii is also somewhat commonly seen. It can be difficult to tell the difference between these two species. The main difference that I have noticed is that Den keithii tends to bloom on stems which still contain all of it's leaves, which are considerately larger than anceps; though occasionally partially to completely leafless stems, and inflorescences are formed close to the stem but are very centralized almost forming a "line" of flowers down the center of the stem. Blooming time can be fall though spring with most blooming occurring during the fall through later winter. It needs a slight drying out during the winter months, so a reduced watering period, but not completely dry period, is recommended.
Den. anceps tends to bloom on both leaved and leafless stems though tend to be more on leafless stems; leaves are considerably smaller than keithi. Inflorescences are produced towards the center of the stems, but not so much in a straight line up and down the stem, though mostly at the apex of the stem. Flowers tend to be slightly fragrant and are produced in the spring to early summer. Plants need a dry and cooler winter rest period to help initiate flowers.
Good plants to grow from this group are: anceps, brevimentum, curviflorum, distichum, grande, hainanense, leonis, lobatum