Odbrs. Kenneth Bivens 'Santa Barbara'

[Piper]

I bought this guy on Dec. 9th already in bloom. The flower spike was an impressive 43", sporting 16 blossoms. The bottom-most flowers were over 4", and the top-most just under 3" (with spidery legs that curled - straight, they would have been longer.)

It's now dropping blossoms, sadly, and I thought I should get this posted while it was still technically in bloom. The photos are from just over a week ago. Everything was still blooming strong at that point.

Does anyone have any idea if an odbrs. would respike or even keiki, if I cut it above the last non-blooming bract? It desperately needs to be repotted and would probably rather spend its energy on root growth, but I'm tempted to try (unless some genetic wisdom indicates that it's not physically possible.)

Julie

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Hi Julie!

Impressive Odbrs! I have never heard of one putting out a keiki. Only monopodials put out keikis. After the flowers are finished, cut the spike all the way off. It will bloom again on the next new growth if your conditions are right. Thanks for sharing the beautiful photo!

Cheers!
Brutal_Dreamer

[Piper]

Thanks, BD!

I didn't know about the monopodial keiki thing, but it makes sense.

Julie

[Piper]

Ok BD,

I bought the monopodial story, because I mistakenly assumed dendrobiums were monopodial. I've just learned they're in fact, sympodial. There must be something more at work in keiki formation. So, I'm back to smearing keiki paste on my odmbrs. spike!

Thanks!
Julie

[Brutal_Dreamer]

OOPS! I totally spaced on dendrobiums. However, keiki paste will do nothing for your oncidums. Sorry, Julie. It was late when I read your post.

Cheers!
BD

[Piper]

Hey BD,

I was just kidding about the keiki paste (I don't own any!) I didn't think it would work with Odm's, but was curious why not. I'm always trying to figure out how these critters do what they do.

It would be neat to get a plant growth guru to boil the story down of how growth applies to orchids. That is, what stimulates flower prop, root prop and leaf prop, and what things shift the plant's priorities to what (for which).

Anyway, too much deep thought for a cold night! Thanks and enjoy!

Julie

[LJA]

The only types I've ever seen keiki from flower spikes are the Phals, including Doritis. Other types will produces keikis, but not on inflorescences. The flower spikes on Oncidiinae will, very occasionally, not completely die back, with the remaining green bases producing a "branch." The blooms on that, however, are usually much smaller than on the original spike, and there are very few of them--I'd personally rather have the plant's energy channeled into new growth for a nicer show the next season.

Wish I could tell you what triggers natural keiki production but, other than it being a hormonal issue, I have no idea why it happens on some plants and not others of the same grex, under the "same" conditions.

(BTW, for some reason, poor Kenneth's last name gets changed regularly--it's actually "Bivin" and not "Bivens." You'll still see "Bivens" quite a bit in the popular listings though....)

[LJA]

While watering this morning (with this thread on my mind) I found one of our older Dendrobiums against the greenhouse wall, one of whose canes had multiple spikes which had been cut off about an inch from the PB. The base of one of those spikes had a keiki growing from it, which itself had bloomed and whose spike was now brown and dry. So apparently, some Dendrobiums (this one's a NOID Dendrobium Phal) *will* keiki from an old flower spike. This is the first time I've ever seen that, and I'll take a pic as soon as the cam's batteries are recharged.

[uncasteeb]

So apparently, some Dendrobiums (this one's a NOID Dendrobium Phal) *will* keiki from an old flower spike. This is the first time I've ever seen that, and I'll take a pic as soon as the cam's batteries are recharged.

Very interested to see the piccie.

[Piper]

Thanks Louis for the information! This fellow really wanted repotting, which he got today, as the final bloom dropped. I'm much more interested in supporting strong new growth, but was curious if a science experiment might net anything...

Would be very interested in seeing the keiki'ed infloresence, when you have a chance. Question: how big does a dend keiki have to be before it will bloom? (I've cork mounted one I had, but figured it would take a couple of years.)

Would you mind explaining which dends are 'noid'? I've seen the term so much, but have never seen a definition for it. I know there's massive variety in the genus, but I don't know the basic sub-genera. Even a reference for more info would be great. Thanks!

Julie