Dendrobium kingianum

Hi guys and gals

Last Nov I got this D. kingianum.

Since then it appears to have done very little.
The roots on its kieki are slowly lengthing, so overall quite happy.

It still isn't stable, though. Hence the stakes.
Most of the variagation is tinged pink and one of the leaves has now turned yellow, but the pseudobulb appears OK.


Any ideas?

TIA
Fof

ps I last attempted growing this when I lived in Australia, and succeeded in killing it within 6 months.

 

I've got some of this but just the green leaved version.
Mine is in the greenhouse and it gets pretty cold at times.

I dont think you can expect much growth until spring and summer, and they do lose a few leaves from time to time.
I tend to neglect mine and it usually comes back for more.

 

Hi pete
As I said, I'm quite happy with it. Looking forward to seeing any spring movement. It shouldn't be long now (I hope)
The dead leaf was my one main query. The pink blush in the leaves, can't be caused by too much sun (unfortunately). I'll see how it goes once that yellow ball in the sky decides to do more than peek at us (occasionally).

 

I definitely wouldn't worry about the pink edges to the leaves but you may find it will prefer some shade when the sun does warm up.

 

I wonder about that.
When I lived in Aus., I saw this growing, quite happily growing on rocks, in quite open terrain.
That is why I attempted to grow it. I had thought about trying native orchids, but all I had ever seen were in heavily shaded habitats. D.k was OBVIOUSLY not too fussed about sun, of which there is LOTS. I still killed it.

 

Interesting, so its not an epiphyte but a lithophyte and probably likes more exposed conditions.
I do put mine outside in the summer.

 

Yes, but they can be found as epiphytic.
In fact I saw one growing on the trunk of a very old Dicksonia at Glendurgan Gardens in Cornwall.
Another incentive to try it again, I thought.

 

I tried a plant on the trunk of my Butia palm but I think the frost in December has killed it.

 

Mine get dried out over winter in greenhouse (just frost free), then start watering again in spring. They surprised me by flowering last year

 

I think Glendurgan is, to all intents and purposes, a frost free site.

 

Ours have been in flower for some months now. They do take time to reach flowering size.
Ours are indoors in a laundry room and are misted often.

 

Well, something seems to be happening.
A new pseudobulb is shooting up, but no sign of any other growth.

 

Had a bit of a disaster, today.
Just changed ISP, and whole swapping routers, I managed to knock the D.k. over.
Bark medium everywhere, BUT I discovered that not only did it have the above new pseudobulb, but LOTS of new roots and a second new pseudobulb about to appear above ground.
No sign of any movement on the existing material, though.
Plant time and human time are not the same. Patience is needed.

 

@Fof good news especially the new roots and new growth. Ours finished flowering some weeks ago. The flowers are beautifully scented. We stand our orchids on gravel trays with some rain water (not a lot) so that the humidity is kept high.

 

Things are moving along.
I cut off an old pseudobulb that was slowly losing it's leaves and shriveling.

It has put on 2 new psuedobulbs, A in the next image.

Now. Do the new pseudobulbs flower this year or next?
All the old pseudobulbs appear to have the remains of a flower spike where the growing tip would be. I presume this is one of the Dens that only flowers a pseudobulb once?
Do they grow longer after they flower? I suspect not.
The keiki (B) also appears to have the remains of a flower spike at the tip, but its roots have more than doubled, but, for now, have appeared to have been paused.
Do keikis normally flower while so small?

Fof