Den. anosmum - bent cane

[wetfeet101b]

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to grow this Den. anosmum to see if they will take to my local microclimate.
Everything appeared to be going well and the new cane that sprouted under my care is now over 2 feet long.

However, it started having some problems and I am not sure if this is a normal part of its growth cycle or something has gone wrong.

1. When the cane was growing, I expected it to arch down as it got longer and gravity's effects got stronger. It did not, and it kept growing up nearly vertical until about last saturday.

2. I noticed last saturday that the cane had bent severely at two segments. Each segment was bent and kinked at about 40 degrees. It almost looks like it folded under its own weight all of a sudden.

3. The sections where kinks occured also appear dessicated compared to the rest of the other segments.

4. We started getting cool nights (55F-60F) starting a couple of weeks ago so I was wondering if that would have caused this.

Here are some pictures:
Here is the whole plant. I tilted the pot to relieve some strain on the bent segments.


Here is a close up of one of the bent segments.


From the looks of it, the cane is still in active growth and is still producing leaves.


Any ideas? Could the plant have gone too dry? too hot?
This plant is watered on the same schedule as the other orchids in the GH, and also on demand if it gets too hot.
I also give it the same 20-20-20 fertilizer as the rest of the orchids.

It would suck if I lost this cane this late in the game


Thanks
John

[sand_tiger86]

Interesting...it does look as though it bent under it's own weight, judging by the length and narrow width of the cane. Looks like it's too tall to hold itself up. It's still producing new leaves, though so I would say it should not be too much to worry about. Think about it this way: If it did (and it's 99 percent likely) bend under it's own weight, it would have done the same thing in nature attatched to a tree.

[Piper]

The bend does look a bit severe, but it wants pendulous growth, and will try and arch down if it can.

I think you should trust it doing what it wants to do, and don't try and prop it up or anything. It's a hanging-growth Dend and looks like it knows how to make itself happy. Stop watering it by mid-to-the-end of Oct, until new growth starts in the spring, and you should have great flowers.

McJulie

[wetfeet101b]

I will leave the pot tilted for now and will watch the cane if it grows better.
The strange thing with this cane is that it may have had an identity crisis early in its life. It must have thought that it was a hard cane dendrobium.
Here is a picture of the plant about a month ago showing the cane growing straight up without any stake or support.
At the time, it also showed no signs of arching down.
I wonder if it is still not getting enough light. That section already receives around 5000fc.


Next season, I am planning to pot this orchid in a 4" wooden basket upside-down and see if it responds better.

[Ron-NY]

I grow this one on it's side to begin with and therefore never have had a problem similar. In nature these long caned Dends grow on the sides of trees. I have one mounted on treefern and the other I have in a basket hung with the opening on it's side.

[padams2359]

Let it go and see what it is going to do. I am so jealous of all of your GH people. I want one so bad.

[Gin]

Last year I was moving mine and shut the door to the greenhouse on a cane mashed it, I left it alone and it was fine . Gin

[m-h]

I live in Tahiti and grow a lot of "hono hono" orchids ouside in full sun. I wouldn't worry about the bent cane as others will sprout from the bottom and when this one loses it's leaves it will probably give out little bonus plants. I have some that the top part of the can has actually torn or dried up completely and they are all flowering anyway. So pretty tough plants if you can keep them warm and humid enough.

[Ron-NY]

I live in Tahiti and ....

want to talk about being jealous, what a wonderful place to hang one's hat.

[Gin]

Jealous is putting mildly I am Green with envy Gin