Dendrobium Aggregatum

[Dallasgarden]

Oh wise ones, I need a little advice on a dendrobium aggregatum that I got as a gift last spring. Someone gave me about 4 backbulbs of this plant (only one had leaves) and I mounted it on a piece of cork with some sphag moss. It grew two new pbs, but only half size and the leaf fell off of the one pb that did arrive with greenery. I don't seen any new green roots this winter, although it hasn't lost the roots that it came with. I'm concerned that this dendrobium may need more moisture than a typical den. I live in Dallas, Texas. In the summer, it's watered daily, but in the winter (inside) I only "dunk" it once a week. Should I replant in bark chips? Or should I just be patient and give it some more time to size up?

[Dallasgarden]

Oh, it also grew two very small new pbs in the bottom left.

[Ron-NY]

aggragatum which some folk jokingly call aggravatum. This Dend needs a cool, dry, bright winter rest to be able to get it to bloom. I water and fertilize on a regular basis when in growth...but come fall I move it into a southern window that doesn't go above 60 and I give it no water at all until it spikes. As sooin as the spikes break through their sheaths, I again start watering. So, I don't water at all from November until March or April. The p-bulbs will dessicate (but will plump up again after watering restarts) It can stay mounted, in a basket or a small pot of fast draining medium.

[Dallasgarden]

Ron,
Are those new growths large enough to spike? I can always move it to the cool garage for the rest of the winter...

[Ron-NY]

the 2 small ones may not but the 2 large ones in the upper right may and I have seen leafless ones bloom too. Can they still get very bright light in your garage?
Many find this species frustrating to get to bloom but once you have the culture down, it is easy. The hardest part is resisting the temptation to water.

[juneayerza]

I have a Dendrobium aggregatum which looks very much like yours and is about the same size. The advice Ron gave is how I grow mine and I am rewarded each year with new flower spikes. It might not bloom this year since it didn’t have its’ winter rest period, but you never know, it just might bloom for you anyway. I would leave it mounted since the flower spikes are penadant racemes and they look very nice hanging down from the mount. Check out number 16 on the LINKS forum. That site has some great culture tips for species. Also, the taxonomists have been at it again, the Dendrobium aggregatum is now called Dendrobium lindleyi.