What does a dry orchid look like?

[annaverity]

Hello again! I'm a newcomer to this orchid thing (see this post), and as such, I've got yet another question about caring for my plant:

What does a thirsty orchid look like?



These pictures are of my plant (a Dendrobium phalaenopsis), and I'm worried that (1) the base of the stems are drying out; and (2) the leaf that's cracking is dead.

I just ran water through the pot, and it's draining now, but other than that, is there anything else that I can do to bring my plant back to full health? Thank you all in advance for your help!

[slipperfreak]

From the photo, it looks like the canes are quite plump. A dry Dendrobium will have very wrinkled canes. Dendrobiums typically like lots of water while they are actively growing, and less in the winter, but not so little that they get really wrinkly. Older canes will naturally shrivel so only worry about newer ones staying plump. The white "skin" on the canes is natural and happens as they age.

As for the leaf cracking, it looks like this happened some time ago, from shipping, etc. I wouldn't worry about it. If it happened while in your care, you might consider raising the humidity a bit as it may be an indication of too low humidity.

[johnblagg]

your still a new parent ...LOL.That is nothing to worry about in either case.The leaf is simply cracked from mechanical damage in shipping or handling and will probably just stay as is for a long time yet.If it bothers you much cut it off along the dead looking lcracked spot.The base of the plant will have sheaths dry out like that and its perfectly normal not a bad thing at all just the old smaller sheaths the cane emerged from.

[camille1585]

I agree with the others, your orchid is very healthy! You don't need to change anything in your culture, it seems pretty happy with the way you care for it.

[RosieC]

Like Camille I agree with the comments above, it looks like it's doing fine so don't worry.

The canes look plump, they will get vertical creases and look very wrinkled if it gets short of water. If that ever happens just up the watering a bit and it will plump back up again. Just now though it's looking fine.

The dry skin at the base is normal and just happens as the canes age.

The leaf looks like it's had mechanical damage (it's been bashed by something). You can either leave it or take off the end along the line.

[Orchid126]

The skin at the base of the bulbs is called a sarong. The sarong protects the bulb as it's developing and once mature, the sarong is no longer needed and dries up. If possible, it's good to remove the sarong as it can harbor insects.

[nikv]

Instead of asking what a dry orchid looks like, you should ask yourself what a dry orchid feels like. Hold it in your hand and judge it's weight. If it feels light, water it. If it's heavy, you don't need to water it. Over time, you'll get a feel for your orchids. Good luck!