Dend. thyrsiflorum flower spikes
 

Hi guys. I've had a dend. thrysiflorum that's been with me for about 9 years. It just bloomed for me for the first time last year when I moved to a warmer state with a longer warm season. Last year it produced several spikes but most dried up early on. The only one that did flower had just a few small, 3/4 to 1 inch deformed flowers. This year, I have spikes again. I'm noticing on the most mature one, however, that the unopened flowers are very small. Those of you with experience with this orchid, is this just a part of the growing process and these flowers will get bigger in a few weeks? All the pictures and videos I've seen online just show the very young spike and the already opened flowers. I don't know what they look like in between. Thanks for your input.

In the past, some combination of too hot, too low humidity and/or not enough water. Once the spikes are clearly visible, or new growth is forming, you need to water a lot. They shouldn't dry out in growth or spike.

Thanks. I will keep that in mind this time. It's been quite warm and humid here in the last few weeks. Any thoughts about the spike in the picture? Even though the spike looks good, those flower buds just look really puny to me. Of course I've never seen them at this stage before though.

I haven't grown it, but I grew its relative farmeri back in about 1973. I seem to recall that is how they develop.

Great! That gives me some hope. I've sent the picture to the nursery where I bought it from too so they should be able to tell me.