Dendrobium obcuneatum

Also known as: Dendrobium insigne var. subsimplex Dendrobium insigne var. insigne Grastidium insigne Dendrobium lyperanthiflorum Callista insignis Dendrobium pentactis Dichopus insignis Dendrobium gazellae Dendrobium insigne Dendrobium consanguineum Grastidium lyperanthiflorum in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

General Information

Dendrobium obcuneatum is a medium sized sympodial warm to hot growing epiphytic or terrestrial orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 60cm. Each new growth has numerous oblong shaped leaves that grow to 5-6cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 18cm

Substrate(s)

• Coarse

Care Notes

These orchids like to be watered regulary, especially during warm weather, and prefer a well draining mix or also do well mounted, provided they can be watered daily or even many times a day.

These are quite a forgiving orchid, there are no special requirements to get this orchid to flower, just good care and consistent conditions. Larger plants may be more fussy and can react poorly to change; a poorly timed repotting, a pest infection or an unusually hot day can set them back for a couple of years. However, even plants that have been treated poorly can thrive, and if they are set back they often recover much stronger then they would otherwise be.

Climate

Grows at low elevations. Rainfall ranges from 81mm to 287mm per day, heaviest in August and lightest in March. Humidity ranges from 85% to 89%, highest in December and lowest in August. Temperature ranges from 23C to 29C, highest in October (24C to 29C) and lowest in October (23C 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

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.

Potting

These plants can be sensitive to repotting though should not require repotting regularly. Repotting should be done when the mix has broken down to the point that it doesn't absorb water or holds onto water for far too long, usually the plant shows a decline in growth as well.

The mix should be free draining, with a blend of 30% inorganic ingredients such as coarse sand, gravel or perlite, mixed in with about 70% organic ingredients such as peat, leaf litter or decomposed bark. Avoid commercial potting mixes as they can vary wildly and may contain "wetting agents" that can hold onto water for loo long, causing rotting and stunted growth.

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