Dendrobium busuangense
Also known as: The Busuanga Dendrobium in the subfamily: Epidendroideae
General Information
The Busuanga Dendrobium is a sympodial warm to hot growing orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae. It is named after the an Island near Palawan the Philippines.
Plant Description
Sympodial. Grows to 200cm. Each new growth has numerous leathery elliptic leaves that grow to 7.6cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 200cm
Substrate(s)
- Coarse
Climate
Grows at low elevations. Rainfall ranges from 5mm to 518mm per day, heaviest in August and lightest in February. Humidity ranges from 74% to 88%, highest in July and lowest in April. Temperature ranges from 23C to 33C, highest in April (25C to 33C) and lowest in January (23C to 30C).
Watering
These orchids prefer a constant supply of moisture, with a slight drying out between waterings. Saucers can be placed under pots to retain moisture during hot weather, however the saucers should be removed or let to dry every 1-2 weeks to prevent rot. Keep an eye on the plant especially in hot weather and look for cues of under/overwatering and adjust accordingly.
Keep moisture levels up during hot weather as the plant is prone to dehydrationFertiliser
Apply liquid based fertiliser per recommended directions. They can benefit from a high phosphate fertiliser leading up to flowering season, followed by a high nitrogen fertiliser when new growth appears, and a balanced fertiliser in other times. These orchids can also tolerate slow release fertiliser applied 1-2 pellets per cup (250ml) of media.
Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round. Use a high Nitrogen fertiliser during Spring and Summer. Use a high Phosphorous fertiliser during Summer.
