Dendrobium furcatum

Also known as: The Forked Dendrobium or Dendrobium dolichocentrum Dendrobium sarrasinorum Dendrobium sarasinorum Dendrobium celebicum Callista furcata in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

General Information

The Forked Dendrobium is a sympodial cool to warm growing orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae. The name refers to the three lined callus on center of the lip.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 45cm. Each new growth has numerous leaves that grow to 2-5cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 45cm

Substrate(s)

• Coarse

Climate

Grows at low to high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 86mm to 472mm per day, heaviest in January and lightest in September. Humidity ranges from 72% to 84%, highest in January and lowest in August. Temperature ranges from 16C to 25C, highest in August (17C to 25C) and lowest in October (16C to 23C).

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.

Be sure to flush out excess fertiliser by running water through the media regularly year round. Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round.

Potting

Repotting is best done in a pot the same size or only slightly larger than the previous one.