Here I go again. Do you think that this is a dendrobium spectabile?

[Cymbaline]

Originally Posted by Jeff214

It does look like a latouria dendrobium, but it's impossible to say what it is exactly.

Mine started like this as a bag baby some years ago... actually my very first orchid I bought. It was a simpler time!









It has never bloomed... for all I know, mine not even be a Den spectabile!

It's getting huge! The fact that we can't be sure is what really makes me worry. I mean when an orchid finally blooms down the road ( years ) and it's NOT what you thought it was? LOL. Nothing you can do about it.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Jeff- yours looks different than mine two...the canes are darker and sheathed and the leaves on yours are pointed at the tip while mine are rounded...yours looks more like an aussie den to me but again...that's the fun of waiting and seeing with bag babies.

I have a few that are getting on 4-5 and i am hoping to see some confirmation of identity soon lol

[Jeff214]

Originally Posted by Cymbaline

It's getting huge! The fact that we can't be sure is what really makes me worry. I mean when an orchid finally blooms down the road ( years ) and it's NOT what you thought it was? LOL. Nothing you can do about it.

I mean, like most things, we need to do our own research (does it look remotely like the plant I want?) and buy from reputable sellers (auction site resellers are pretty hit or miss). If you can, buy a plant in bloom.

I've had a dozen+ latouria-type dendrobiums (Den spectabile is in the this section) and your plant certainly looks like a latouria-type. How to ID if it's spectabile? If it gets huge and never blooms! I have two spectabiles and it the only latouria-type that I can't get to bloom.

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

Jeff- yours looks different than mine two...the canes are darker and sheathed and the leaves on yours are pointed at the tip while mine are rounded...yours looks more like an aussie den to me but again...that's the fun of waiting and seeing with bag babies.

I have a few that are getting on 4-5 and i am hoping to see some confirmation of identity soon lol

My experience is pretty limited with 'Aussie' types so I can't say. Definitely different from speciousm types.

I think at this point, I've started to accept mine as a 'houseplant' that will never bloom, whatever it's identity may be!

[DirtyCoconuts]

oh, i'm shooting in the dark...i suspect it is spectabile as the "bettergro" nursery is run like a science lab and their labels are usually accurate....now, once at the big box, who knows what happens

i have a few of those...house plants...lol...my new move is to try a radical change....they either bloom or start to die and i change it

[Fairorchids]

Seller is a bit disingenious. Description: Large Plant, and further down, in 2" pot. In 2" pot it is a baby.

A fair retail price for a baby is in $18-25 range.

I have received NBS/BS spectabiles from Hawaii, via FEDEX shipment, at a price level, where I was able to retail them for $75. As it turned out, 2 or 3 plants out of 10 actually had buds breaking upon arrival.

That population of seedlings were bred from relatively short parents. I would see buds form on canes in the 10-12" range.