Dendrobium dactylodes

Also known as: The Finger or Dendrobium cheesmanae Dendrobium vaupelianum Dendrobium whitmeei Dendrobium cheesmaniae Dendrobium everardii Grastidium everardii Grastidium vaupelianum Grastidium cheesmaniae in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

Native to: Fiji Samoa Vanuatu

General Information

The Finger is a sympodial warm to hot growing orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae native to Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 150cm. Each new growth has numerous leathery leaves that grow to 3.5-8cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 38-140cm

Substrate(s)

• Coarse

Climate

The orchids are well adapted for hot weather, accompanied by sporadic, unpredictable rainfall and a generally dry climate. They can tolerate a lot of neglect as they are quite used to it, however they can be prone to underwatering and may collapse in cold, wet weather.

For this reason it's best to dedicate a sheltered, protected area for them where the watering can be controlled, such as a corner of a greenhouse or in a sheltered balcony. They can also do well hung near the roof of a shadehouse or sheltered greenhouse where they receive the extra heat but not as much water as other plants. 

Grows at low to high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 124mm to 368mm per day, heaviest in September and lightest in January. Humidity ranges from 75% to 81%, highest in November and lowest in April. Temperature ranges from 16C to 26C, highest in July (19C to 26C) and lowest in January (16C to 22C).

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.

Fertiliser

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.

Use balanced fertiliser year round. Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round.