Hang out your Dens!

Dendrobium, with approximately 1000 species, is one of the largest genera in the orchid family.  This number can vary depending on changes made by taxonomists.  Partly for convenience, Dendrobium is broken down into sections.  Two of the sections, Section Dendrobium (nobile type) and Section Callista are commonly called “cool growing dens,” because they require  a cool, dry rest period in order to produce blooms in the spring. This means leaving them outside in bright light with no fertilizer and little or no water from late fall through winter.

Below is a list of some of the “cool growing den” species.  If you have hybrids with any of these species in their background, they will probably require the same treatment.   

Many dendrobiums in other sections also require less frequent watering during their rest period, if you are not sure which ones they are, check out one of the books on dendrobiums at TOC’s library.

 

Section Dendrobium (nobile type)

Dendrobium albosanguineum

Dendrobium anosmum  (syn. superbum)

Dendrobium aphyllum  (syn. pierardii) 

Dendrobium crystallinum

Dendrobium heterocarpum

Dendrobium loddigesii

Dendrobium nobile

Dendrobium parishii

Dendrobium regium

Dendrobium rhodopterygium

 

Section Callista

Dendrobium chrysotoxum

Dendrobium densiflorum

Dendrobium farmeri

Dendrobium jenkinsii

Dendrobium lindleyi (syn. aggregatum)

Dendrobium thyrsiflorum