One of the most beautiful representatives of the Orchidaceae family is considered to be the dendrobium nobile. Translated from Latin, the name of the plant means "living on a tree", "noble" (or "excellent", "noble"), which succinctly reflects its epiphytic lifestyle, coupled with incredible beauty.
If you want to become the happy owner of this gorgeous orchid and learn how to care for it, this article is for you. In it, we will tell in detail how to grow dendrobium nobile correctly. Home care for her is not as complicated and burdensome as it might seem at first glance. Modern hybrid forms are perfectly adapted for maintenance in an ordinary city apartment, unlike their wild counterparts. Therefore, using our recommendations and creating environmental conditions close to optimal, you can certainly grow a beautiful, healthy, abundantly flowering plant. We hope you find our tips useful!
The characteristic features of the dendrobium nobile orchid
You can recognize this perennial herb by some distinguishing features. Its stems are fleshy, straight, can reach 90 cm in height. They necessarily have pseudobulbs - thickened near-earth parts necessary for storing a supply of liquid and nutrients. The leaves of a noble orchid have a deep green color and an oblong shape. On the stem, they are arranged alternately. Flower buds form in the axils of the leaf plates, from which later either young shoots or peduncles appear. Large orchid flowers reach 9-10 cm in diameter and produce a delicate, pleasant aroma. Their color can vary greatly: hybrids with white, white-pink, violet, raspberry and even multi-color petals are on sale. The dendrobium nobile orchid blooms for a long time, from January to May, magnificent and very beautiful.
The root system of a plant is a combination of basic and subordinate "air" roots. The former are involved in photosynthesis and allow the plant to firmly attach to the tree bark, while the latter serve as an additional tool for the extraction of nutrients. The adventitious roots are often large and the lace web hang down.
The most famous hybrid varieties
The homeland of the dendrobium nobile orchid is considered the tropical zones of Japan, Australia, China, as well as Indonesia and the Himalayas. It was first brought to Europe from India in 1836, and, hitting the florists with its lush and incredibly spectacular flowering, it began to be cultivated in greenhouses. Since then, the dendrobium nobile orchid has been very popular: it is actively grown and new hybrid varieties are received.
These days, the most commonly found on sale are compact (from 40 to 50 cm in height), multi-colored hybrids of the Japanese breeder Jiro Yamamoto. The flowering of Yamamoto dendrobiums is chic - long and plentiful, often there are so many flowers that they completely cover the stems of the plant. Florists love these hybrids for their unpretentiousness and stability. The most popular varieties of Yamamoto dendrobiums are:
- Yellow song.
- Fancy Angel.
- New Century.
- Himezakura.
- Red Emperor.
Another dendrobium stardust (dendrobium stardust) is directly related to the dendrobium nobile orchid. It stands out for its yellow or orange flowers with dark streaks on the lip.
In fact, it is not so important which one you will get the hybrid variety of dendrobium nobile. Home care of any of its subspecies should be based on several fundamental principles. We will talk about them later.
Correct location and optimal lighting
For a newly acquired plant, first of all, it is necessary to choose a well-lit place. Dendrobium Nobile orchids are photophilous, they need a 12-hour daylight, but at the same time they can’t tolerate direct sunlight. Their delicate leaves and flowers quickly get burns.
Therefore, when choosing a place, it is desirable to give preference to eastern, southwestern or northeastern window sills, as well as provide shading from direct strong sun. In the autumn and winter periods, the orchid, on the contrary, often suffers from a lack of light, so it must be illuminated with fluorescent or LED lamps. In the summer, frequent airing and fresh air are extremely beneficial for the white dendrobium nobile. Home care in warm weather can be done on the balcony or loggia. The orchid in the fresh air will harden and feel good.
If in doubt whether you have chosen the right place for the plant, carefully examine its leaves. They act as indicators:
- if the lighting is sufficient, they have a saturated light green color;
- with a lack of light, they darken;
- with excess and direct exposure to the rays of the sun - excessively brighten.
If there is a deviation from the norm, adjust the lighting. At the same time, remember: a flowering plant is not recommended to be turned over in different directions or transferred to another place. A cardinal change of regime can provoke the dropping of buds in the dendrobium nobile.
Home care involves not only selecting the right lighting, but also maintaining good humidity and temperature. The principles of “weather in the house” useful for epiphytes are considered below.
Favorable humidity
The hybrid forms of the dendrobium nobile orchid are well adapted to normal home conditions. They do not need high humidity and feel great at average rates of 45-55%.
Nevertheless, experienced flower growers recommend periodically spraying the plant from the spray gun on hot days (preferably in the first half of the day), and in winter, during the central heating period, install the pot in a pan with wet gravel. These simple measures will prevent the adverse effects of excessively dry air on the plant.
Not knowing what is the humidity in your apartment, periodically inspect the orchid. If you notice that young leaves grow shriveled and crooked, then the plant suffers from a lack of water vapor. In this case, it is recommended to increase the humidity in the room by any available means.
Spots on pseudobulbs, affected growth points and mold on peduncles, on the contrary, indicate excessive moisture. Stop spraying immediately and ensure good circulation of fresh air.
Optimum temperature
The natural growing conditions, namely the mild subtropical climate, determine the temperature preferences of the dendrobium nobile flower. Home care of the plant involves the creation of close to natural temperatures. The ideal range for an orchid is considered to be within the range of +20 ... + 25 ° . High temperatures (over +29 ° C) lead to stunted growth and adequate development. In extreme heat, the plant sheds flowers and may die. Low values (less than +7 ° C) are also detrimental to the dendrobium nobile orchid.
Care at home and growing in the autumn period suggest the organization of soft daily temperature fluctuations. This is done so that the plant stops the vegetation and is actively preparing for future flowering. Fluctuations in daytime temperatures within +16 ... + 20 ° and nighttime in the range +7 ... + 12 ° in October and November allow you to get a huge number of buds.
Proper watering is the key to success in growing epiphytes
Timely, sufficient and appropriate stages of plant life - this is how watering the dendrobium nobile flower should be. Home care during the period of active growth (spring and summer) implies frequent and abundant hydration of the plant with warm, settled water. In this case, the substrate between waterings should have time to completely dry. It is not recommended to focus on specific time intervals between irrigation. The drying rate of the soil mixture can vary greatly due to environmental factors - lighting, temperature, humidity. Sometimes dendrobium nobile can dry in 4 days, and sometimes remain moist for 10 days.
To avoid waterlogging of the substrate, novice gardeners are recommended to install a wooden stick in the pot and water the plant only when it becomes completely dry. Experienced flower growers determine the degree of drying of the substrate by weight of the pot. As soon as it becomes half the weight of a freshly moistened orchid, the plant is watered.
Watering itself is preferably carried out by immersion. A pot with a plant is placed in a basin with warm, standing water for 30 minutes or more, then it is removed, the excess water is allowed to drain and sent to its place. This watering regime should be observed throughout the entire growth period. With the onset of the dormant period, watering is reduced, and then when vertical young leaves appear and completely stops. Renew it only with the appearance of flower buds.
Orchid bloom and pruning after: is it needed?
Orchid dendrobium nobile blooms in winter and spring, from January to April. Flowers appear after the plant completes its development cycle and leaves the dormant stage. The flowering time of the dendrobium nobile orchid is 3, maximum 4 weeks. After falling flowers, novice gardeners often ask: "What should be the care of the dendrobium nobile at home after flowering? Is pruning necessary or not?"
In fact, a faded pseudobulb should not be removed; it will also serve the plant, preserving nutrients and additional moisture. It will be possible to trim it only if it becomes dry, and all the leaves fall from it. Then you can take sharp scissors, treat them with a disinfectant solution and carefully remove the pseudobulb of the dendrobium nobile.
Home care after flowering is simple: it is recommended to temporarily stop watering, leave the plant alone in a cool place and calmly wait for the emergence of new shoots. When they grow to 3-4 cm, it will be possible to resume the moistening of the substrate. Do not worry if your orchid suddenly blossoms and leaves fall after flowering, which means that it begins to prepare for a new life cycle.
Proper plant transplant. We select a pot and soil
After the flowering period is over, the plant is transplanted if it has grown excessively or is uncomfortable, being in the same substrate for a long time. Before the transshipment procedure, they prepare the soil, drainage, a convenient pot, crushed activated carbon, scissors. The substrate should be bought special, for orchids. It should consist only of pine bark without additional additives. The use of mixed substrates with peat, sphagnum is not recommended, because of them, if the watering is incorrect, the risk of root decay increases.
The pot for the orchid should be selected correctly. It should be special wood, clay (without glaze, rough) or plastic with holes so that the roots can be well ventilated and dry. In size, it should not exceed the rhizome by more than 3 cm. Before planting, the pot should be washed well in hot water with a cleaning agent.
Pebbles, large pieces of balsa wood or polystyrene are used as drainage. Expanded clay for orchids is not suitable, since it has the ability to accumulate salts that adversely affect the root system of the dendrobium nobile orchid.
Home care: epiphytic transplant
Transshipment of orchids is carried out as accurately and carefully as possible. The plant is removed from the old container and placed in warm water for two or three hours. This technique allows you to remove old bark without damaging the roots.
After soaking, the roots are washed and carefully inspected. Sick, rotten, dark areas are removed. Sections are treated with crushed activated carbon. Then the plant goes for 2 hours to dry, on a clean napkin.
A layer of drainage is laid at the bottom of the new pot. The treated plant is placed in the middle of the pot, the roots are carefully straightened and sprinkled with a substrate without compacting. Please note, you can deepen the orchid to the line of growth buds, which are located at the base of adult pseudobulbs.
We take care of the plant after transplantation
After transshipment, the dendrobium nobile orchid is left alone. It is not watered for the first few days. After the set time (from 2 to 4 days), she is examined, her condition is assessed and moisturized.
The pot with a transplanted orchid is not exposed to the bright sun for the first 7-10 days, it is carefully shaded from direct rays, minimizing stress. Further, the plant is looked after as usual, moistened in a timely manner, sprayed, and favorable climatic conditions are maintained.
Fertilizer application
Another important procedure for home care for dendobium nobile is top dressing. Fertilization begins in the spring, when the plant enters the phase of active growth. To feed use special fertilizers for epiphytes. They are introduced at every third watering, but they reduce the rate by half (from the one specified in the instructions). Also, foliar top dressing is periodically produced (the dose of fertilizer is reduced by five times) to improve the condition of the plant.
Now you know how home care should be for dendrobium nobile. Tips and recommendations for transplanting, watering, spraying, fertilizing, we hope you will come in handy and will allow you to grow a healthy, constantly blooming orchid. And now we will discuss how to propagate an epiphyte.
How to carry out the reproduction of dendrobium nobile when leaving at home?
There are three simple methods for breeding epiphytic plants :
- cuttings;
- dividing the bush;
- shoots with baby roots.
The first method involves obtaining cuttings from former peduncles. After flowering, the arrow is cut into pieces about 10 cm long. Slices are treated with activated carbon. The resulting seedlings are rooted in a greenhouse, laying them horizontally on moist sphagnum moss. The greenhouse is periodically aired. After 2-3 weeks, the seedlings will appear roots. When they reach 5 cm in length, the cuttings can be transplanted into pots with pine bark and coconut fiber.
The second method involves the separation of a large mother plant having 3 or more pseudobulbs. As a rule, it is used for periodic planned transplantation. The plant is pulled out of the pot, cleaned of residues of the substrate and cut with a sharp knife into parts so that each of them has two pseudobulbs with a part of the roots. After separation, the resulting material is left to dry for a day in a shaded place, and then planted in pots.
Orchid propagation by children
The third method involves the use of processes that periodically form on the mother plant. Shoots with roots longer than 8 cm are separated, which increases the likelihood of their survival. Children are planted in new pots and they are followed by the same care as at an adult orchid dendrobium nobile at home. Reproduction in any way is not too difficult and time-consuming, you can use any of the most convenient method of the three.
We hope that using our tips and tricks, you will be able to grow a healthy and beautiful plant that will delight you with its magnificent flowers for a long time. Good luck