Dendrobium lawesii

Also known as: Lawes' Dendrobium or Dendrobium warburgianum Dendrobium lawesii h.v. persrooi Dendrobium lawesii h.v. bicolor Dendrobium pseudomohlianum Dendrobium lawesii h.v. ligrooi Dendrobium lawesii h.v. bicolour Chromatotriccum delphinioides Dendrobium delphinioides Dendrobium lawesii var. salmonicolor in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

General Information

Lawes' Dendrobium is a medium sized sympodial intermediate to hot growing epiphytic orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae. It is named after the English Missionary and Collector in the 19th century - New Guinea.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 25-45cm. Each new growth has numerous leaves that grow to 6.5cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 25-45cm. The plant forms pendant or arching growths

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

These orchids thrive in cool, conditions with good airflow. When cultivated they will thrive in a cool, sheltered environment such as a shaded greenhouse, or if grown in cooler climates they can be grown in the garden in areas where they are protected from frost and receive shade throughout the year, though they may be able to tolerate some morning sun during winter.

Grows at high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 51mm to 272mm per day, heaviest in September and lightest in December. Humidity ranges from 67% to 74%, highest in September and lowest in February. Temperature ranges from 16C to 28C, highest in April (18C to 28C) and lowest in January (16C to 27C).

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

dormant-medium-demand-orchid Use balanced fertiliser year round. Apply fertiliser regularly at half strength year round. Reduce fertiliser when plant is dormant during Spring.

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,

This plant does well mounted.