dendrobium kingianum

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Beverly

I took some keiki's off a plant and put 6 in s/h for an experiment last summer. They did not get much bigger but I got flowers on three and the other three put out new growths at their bases. I kept them more dryer then I should have, kept them in a cool room in a small southern window.
Mine flowered at less then 6 inches>
I hope that helps.
Beverly

I'm happy to report that I have many spikes on my kingi, and the two keikis on it as well Nodes started to swell a few months ago and I've been watching growth develop not sure if I was getting keikis or spikes, but the larger "growths" have swelling near the tips, and one is showing a tiny cluster of tiny buds
I've just left it outside (zone 9), no real watering rest, tho significantly less watering than in summer, but weather is cool and damp - don't think it's ever dried out completely. Gets water about once a week, sometimes a bit more often, sometimes less - tho it is potted in pumice and perlite only.

[harleymc]

D kingis can go down to freezing in their natural growing environment and a few degrees below. If they are to be exposed to sub freezing they will need to be kept dry (Allow the spuedobulbs to shrivel a bit. Probably a couple of weeks is enough to start spike formation. Give them as much light as you possibly can over winter.

[Florida_guy_26]

Ok everyone, here in montana the weather is starting to fade from winter into spring, and so far I have not had luck with any spikes actually flowering. I do however notice that there is a key to all this- the one kingianum plant I have that is doing well right now is in semi hydro but sitting in moist peat in a ziploc bag. I think 80% of the roots are dry now but there are a few roots that grew into the moist peat moss and that is keeping the canes from shriveling up but the rest of the roots being dry, may get me luck with blooming. I do think that is how plants grow in the wild- most of the roots dry out, but some may go deeper than imagined between rocks on cliffs and get enough moisture to maintain a plump looking plant even when the plant may seem totally dry. I hope my info helps other growers and other people can put it to good use. I do not think that torturing a plant by keeping it unwatered for months and letting the canes look like prunes is a good idea, but I also do not think that keeping it soaking wet will get you anything but a dead or unhealthy plant. If you let the roots ramble and grow down into some moist medium below the drier top medium, they will get the moisture they need but the dryness to bloom as well.