Dendrobium Orchid Info: How To Grow And Care For Dendrobium Orchids

White-Orange Dendrobium Orchids
(Image credit: Christian Ader)

Some of the most popular orchid plants among home growers are Dendrobium orchid plants. These showy flowers are relatively easy to grow, with a central long stem and an attractive spray of flowers that can last up to four weeks. There are many Dendrobium varieties, and each one has slightly different growing conditions. Luckily, with all the types of Dendrobium orchids to choose from, there is likely to be one that fits your home environment perfectly.

About Dendrobium Orchid Plants

Dendrobium is sort of the catch-all of orchid species. When you look for Dendrobium orchid info, you can find whole books devoted to each of the different types of Dendrobium orchids that can fall into this category. In general, though, you can separate them into a few different groups. Sheer beginners will love Nobile orchids. These hybrids go dormant for a couple of months in the winter, losing some of their leaves in the process. These plants can have up to 50 blooms on one stem, making for a stunning floral display. Growers have perfected the Nobile hybrids so closely that they can even cause them to bloom for any requested holiday. If you're looking for an orchid with lots of helpful information available about it, this is the one to choose. Another popular type is the Phalaenopsis orchid with its bright, densely packed flowers. Like all orchids, they are particular about their environment, but if they're well-cared-for you might be rewarded with a second blooming season later in the year.

How to Grow Dendrobium Orchids

Although there is a huge variety from which to choose, when it comes to learning how to grow Dendrobium orchids, there are two important rules that they all follow: First, they like to live in little pots with their roots crowded into a tiny area. If you try to be nice and give them room to spread out, the roots are likely to stay too moist and begin to rot. If you don't like the look of a large plant growing in a ridiculously small pot, camouflage it in a larger planter. The other way to care for Dendrobium orchids is to give them as much bright light as possible. This doesn't mean sticking them in the desert sunlight, but a south-facing window in the house is the place where they will thrive. In almost all cases, when your Dendrobium orchid isn't flowering, it's a case of not enough sunlight.