Dendrobium laevifolium

Also known as: The Shiny Leafed Dendrobium or Pedilonum occultum Dendrobium laevifolium h.f. flavum Dendrobium laevifolium h.f. aureum Maccraithea laevifolia Dendrobium occultum in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

General Information

The Shiny Leafed Dendrobium is a miniature sympodial warm to hot growing epiphytic orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 3-18cm. Each new growth has numerous leaves that grow to 6-15cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 1-5cm

Substrate(s)

• Coarse

Care Notes

This orchid goes into a dormancy phase during winter, during this phase it is best not to provide water unless the plant is starting to look thirsty. The lack of water increases the chance of flowering in spring, and also reduces the likelihood of any rot forming. Do not resume watering until new growth has appeared and is growing strongly.

Often a period of intense growth occurs after dormancy. During this time the amount of light, water and fertiliser the plant receives will directly impact the amount of growth that occurs during this time, and in the case of seedlings, will reduce the time required to reach maturity.

It's recommended to heavily reduce the water amount at the middle to end of autumn to trigger dormancy. Leaves on older bulbs will begin to drop during this time while the newer bulbs continue to mature until terminal leaves appear at the tip of the pseudobulbs.

Repotting can be done any time of the year though it's best to do it in early spring when new growth is appearing as this also means new roots will appear to help the plant anchor into the new media and offset any damage to established roots during the repotting process.

 

Climate

Grows at low to high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 112mm to 424mm per day, heaviest in September and lightest in February. Humidity ranges from 80% to 87%, highest in September and lowest in April. Temperature ranges from 13C to 22C, highest in March (14C to 22C) and lowest in January (13C to 21C).

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 dehydration

Fertiliser

dormant-medium-demand-orchid Use balanced fertiliser year round. Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round.

Potting

These plants are quite forgiving and will do well repotted ever 2-3 years. The mix should be coarse, well draining, and allow space for air to move and for roots to grow. 

Alternatively, these plants will also do well mounted to tree fern or cork slabs, or mounted to trees.

Best time for repotting or mounting the orchids is the end of winter when new growths start to appear. Avoid repotting during hot weather,