Denrobium aphyllum Finding the right balance

[Junebug]

I bought this plant about 9 years ago. When purchased it was a vision of beauty...a lush 24" long "show stopping" shower of leaves, flowers and blooming keikis. It was an impulse buy and at the time I had no knowledge of how to care for her. In spite of my abuse the poor thing has managed to live.

Three years ago she was down to her last rootless, leafless 8" stem. To initiate growth I placed her in a wooden slat basket with some damp sphagnum moss. Her recovery was slow but she eventually began producing keikis from each node on her stem. Last year I transplanted her to a fern basket and her condition continued to improve. Last fall, when her leaves dropped, I withheld water and fertilizer, but she did not bloom this spring.

This is what she looks like today. This fall I'm planning to again withhold the fertilizer, but I'll continue to water her sparingly during her dormancy. Hopefully this will create the right balance and result in blooms next spring.