Some kind of Dendrobium!
 

So, from my limited knowledge, I assume it's a dendrobium. But can it be identified any further?

The flowers are about 4-5 inches in diameter and there are only 4. Are they supposed to be more?

The plant seems to be relatively healthy. It is a very large plant. There are 3 canes right now. One is very tall, about 4 ft. The other which has the inflorescence is just about a foot and the 3rd one is also about 1 foot but is growing taller every day.

While it was in spike I moved it to a sunnier location and (I think) as a result, the leaves took on a sort of reddish tinge. I have since moved it back into a shadier place.

Finally, this is it's third spike but first one that has been successful. The shrivelled away after it was about 1 mm. Then the other one grew fully, and small buds just about began to take shape, then it shrivelled away, and finally this one was successful.

Ok, that's a mouthful! But can anyone help me figure out
1) the ID
2) whether the number of flowers on the spike is normal
2) the red tinged leaves
3) the 2 aborted spikes??

oh ps. I live in the tropics so it's very warm and humid here!
:thankyou:
thanks everyone :)

Looks to me like a Phalaenanthe-type hybrid with a little Latouria ancestry thrown in. Beyond that, pretty much impossible to ID. Very nice, though! :)

--Nat

I can't help beyond "Dendrobium", but it's lovely!
I have some small Den phal types that only get a few buds per spike. I suspect (hope) as they mature they will get more. And one that has aborted the only spike it grew after many years *sigh*
I hope someone has some advice on that regard

For culture, given its likely ancestry, I'd give it very bright light and intermediate to warm temps with good air movement at all times. Mounting on wood or potting tightly with free-draining and long-lasting media ought to suit it well. I'd grow it wetter than most Den-Phals as in my limited experience Latourias like a LOT of water. I'd guess it'll be pretty forgiving, though (and of course this is all a guess!). Hope this helps. :)

--Nat

I agree that it is a Dendrobium with a lot of it's parantage in the Phalaenanthe sub-genus.

I care for mine like phals, but in brighter light and slightly more damp.

Mine in this group get a red tinge in the summer. The red tint is like a suntan, but I find that letting them get a red tint can help with flowering. I would not worry about this red tint, I think it's quite normal and as long as you keep the light low enough they don't actually burn then it should be fine.

I've had aborted spikes which I think was related to being too dry or too cold, not quite sure.

hi, thanks everyone! I was thinking it might be a den-phal, although I do have another den-phal and it's not like this one at all, it grows very small, but this one only grows in large canes

@gnathaniel, is this suitable for mounting even if it has 5 foot canes? I can't imagine how it would grow...

@RosieC, I guess it must have been too dry. I only recently began watering it every other day. Before I used to water it once per week. But it's so hot here, about 32-4C per day so I figured it would need more water. Also I agree the redness must be the sun because ever since a smaller cane started growing I moved it to a shadier location and so far the new cane is red-tint free!!

thanks!

Hybrid NoIDs in the Den Phal group can be crossed with all sorts of things giving very differnet characteristics. So although it's flowers show clear signs of Den Phalaenanthe parantage it's other parents could have caused this one to be quite large and your other to be quite small.

good point! I'm still very new to understanding orchids so thank you!

Den phal types can be very variable in growth characteristics. These are descriptions of wild plants (may vary in cultivation):
Den Bigibbum var bigibbum: psuedobulbous stems to 120 cm long...
Den Bigibbum var compactum: psuedobulbous stems 5 to 25 cm averageing about 10 to 12 cms...
Upton, Walter.(1989) Dendrobium Orchids of Australia, Houghton Mifflin Australia


I'm not suggesting your orchid is D biggibum, it looks hybrid to me, just a heads up on the size variability within one species and therefore of the hybrids derived. i love seeing the reddish tinge in the foliage - I know they are getting pllenty of light when that happens.

Before I knew the red tinge was a good thing I moved it more into the shade and the red tinge is actually fading!! Will be moving it back though.

Thanks for the feedback on that and the plant size mystery :)