Dendrobium mohlianum x sulawesiense

[poetiscariot]

I have come into possession of my first deciduous dendrobium, and I'm wondering if anyone has advice for this particular plant. The Den. sulawesiense parent is apparently a synonym for Den. sulawesii and Den. glomeratum, if that helps. It has AWESOME fluorescent pink flowers with vivid orange lips.

* If you've bloomed one out, how often does it bloom per year -- once or twice or -- ?
* Does this one lose its leaves all at once, or gradually lose them and grow new ones throughout the year? (So I know whether I'm in trouble if mine starts shedding all its leaves.)
* I know dens like to be crowded, but this one has 13 canes in a 2" pot. Thin canes, but still -- surely it could go up a size?
* These canes can grow upright if you stake them, or it looks like naturally they tend to be more pendulous. How tall/long can they get?
* In terms of light, might I want to keep them staked upright? I'm thinking especially for the winter, when my orchids will be under a grow light. Right now they're in a window and I could let the canes hang downward but once I move them to the grow light, that'll put them at a lower light level than my other orchids.
* Anything else you think I should know about this beastie?

Thanks very much.

[Ron-NY]

I have a Den. sulawesiense. At this point my longest cane is about 2 feet long. I don't stake but let it naturally cascade. I keep it hanging and not on a bench. It blooms once a year but over an 8 week period. I keep it in a small pot of fast draining medium. It does not go totally leafless but older canes are leafless and it usually will bloom from the leafless canes.

Victoria, I guess you could gather the canes and tie them upright for the winter. I decrease water in the winter but I don't give it a strict dry rest.

I don't grow mohlianum but both are similar...sulawesiense is vivid pink with a red lip and mohlianum is orange with a red lip

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Thanks Ron. I would love to see a photo, Victoria, if you have one. It would help answer the up-potting question.

Cheers,
BD

[poetiscariot]

Photos follow. Took me a bit because my landlord is doing some extensive work in my apartment and everything (including me) is sort of displaced right now. But anyway, here's the plant and two pots I'm considering putting it into, partly for space and partly just to give it some weight on the bottom. What do you think?

[Brutal_Dreamer]

As large as the plant is, I think the dark green pot would be fine with larger bark. The small one would work as well, but I would put it up in the larger one for balance. JMHO Good luck!

Cheers,
BD

[margo]

Victoria, I would use the dark (large) one too. This plant is very healthy looking! Good luck!

[Ron-NY]

I would definitely pot up that plant...I wouldn't go overtly big though. That will delay blooming.

[poetiscariot]

When I got the plant out of its old pot, it was solid roots down there, and it fit into the new one really well. I also staked the largest cane and tied some string around the whole mess of them -- I'd love to have it cascade down out of a hanging thing, but I just don't have the space. Here's what I ended up with (everything's relocated to my bedroom back door while my living room ceiling is being replaced; normally they're in a window).

I'm very happy and I think the Den will be too. Thanks to all!

[margo]

Good job, Victoria! Looks great!

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Looks great!

Cheers,
BD