Dendrobium smithianum

Also known as: Smith's Dendrobium or Dendrobium concavum var. celebense Dendrobium smithianum var. nebularum in the subfamily: Epidendroideae

General Information

Smith's Dendrobium is a sympodial warm to hot growing orchid belonging to the sub family Epidendroideae. It is named after the Belgian Botanist in Java late 1800 through mid 1900.

Plant Description

Sympodial. Grows to 15-35cm. Each new growth has numerous lance shaped leaves that grow to 2-5cm long. Pseudobulbs grow to 15-35cm

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 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 19C to 29C, highest in August (21C to 29C) and lowest in October (19C 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

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