Dendrobium hekouense care?
 

Any one else growing this? Anyone having success? This was purchased in early June and doing good, so far. I was a bit worried about my heat over the past two months with growing it outdoors but it has exploded recently with about 17 new growths coming out. What I can’t figure out is the lighting it wants or if it’s deciduous, semi deciduous, and what’s considered ‘blooming size’ or mature. The largest pseudobulb is about 9mm and round like a very small pea. I had a problem with it dropping a few leaves when I first brought it home, may have been too bright? Right now it’s hanging out with some of my higher light bulbophyllums.

Any tips or observations would be appreciated!

Yoooo, SJ!

You still growing this? How’s it doing? Any culture tips?

I took my daughter to a big beautiful nursery today and (as always) made sure to pass the orchid benches. I saw this for $8 BUCKS!!! Scoop!

I don’t know why it was there ( or if it will last in this temp) but I’m in for $8 lol

Hi DirtyCoconuts or anyone....

Anyone growing dendrobium hekouense? I'm reading the care sheet and am curious....maybe this is a general question, too.

I picked up a den. hekouense from New World Orchids in September 2022 (a few months ago almost). I didn't care for it properly (I admit) and ignored it for about a month. I mean, it's alive, but........

So, I started watering it when dry -- daily -- and am seeing a lot of growth in this plant. Although this is exciting and wonderful, to see growth in my orchids, I am reading its care should be the opposite of what I'm doing.

So here I am, December and winter in my zone. My plant is an indoor plant, with temperatures remaining between 65F-75F. There is plenty of new growth and a beautiful looking pseudobulb on this plant.

My hekouense seems happy as is, and seemingly no winter rest so far.
First question: Is this good, no winter rest or to delay winter rest?

My hekouense got "ignored" for about a month -- no significant "daily" care.
Second question: Is this period a "rest" for it, enough to trigger its growth like this?

I'd like to give it good care, but I'm not sure if I should force it out of what seems like a "happy place" into a rest.

I've included some photos of it from today. The new growth seems fairly significant, so I hate to stop it while it's growing.

Water Dendrobiums when they're in full growth, regardless of the calendar. Inside a home with relatively constant temperatures they don't get normal change of season cues. It might have interpreted the month of neglect as a winter.

That’s what I was thinking—that I messed up its rhythm.

I think that’s generell good advice and I try to follow it: when in growth don’t “rest”.

I grow Den hekouense outside. It loses leaves in winter but it still gets watered and rained on. That doesn't seem to harm it, it blooms reliably (over 3+ years) If you are growing it indoors (you get a lot colder than I do, my winter nights get close to freezing but generally not below) , I would suggest putting it next to a window that gets filtered light so that it stays as cool as possible. Skip the fertilizer in winter but it doesn't need (or want) aggressive drying-out. Remember, in habitat even if it doesn't rain, the humidity is high and there is dew over night. Inside the house is a lot drier, so it will dry quickly after watering. I'd also suggest moving it outside as soon as night temps are reliably about about 40-45 deg F and leave it out into the fall until there is danger of frost. This is one tough little orchid! It is native to Yunnan, China at elevations fr0m 1000-2000 m.

Roberta, is this a correct understanding of your post?
- If your house temperature does not fluctuate like it would in the wild, one should water it continuously when it is near dry regardless if it is winter or not
- If there is any drop if temperature and the plant detects it may be winter, stop watering completely until it comes out of rest?

I would never dry it out like that. Mine lives outside, gets watered and rained on . Indoors, maybe a little less water but it still needs some. Indoors is very dry. In nature these get dew even when they don't get rain.

Thanks Roberta! My house is 62 F in winter day time and 58 at night when I go to bed and humidity is 70% all year round.

I guess I will just water it every few days when it gets close to dry then? It is getting lots of light from the grow light as well.

I would not let any Dendrobium making an active growth get nearly dry. Keep them more moist in growth.