Nepenthesa and Dendrobium Hybrid Revival After Dry Dormancy. 2.28.2021

 I stored several of the Nepenthes and Dendrobium Orchids in a bright window in the garage for most of the winter.  I did not have the ability to keep them watered for a while.  This week I pruned off the dead leaves and rehydrated the growth medium.  So far they are looking good.  The leaf turgidity has returned and there may be some new growth initiation.  A few did not survive, but it's nice to know there are some I can keep in dry dormancy for a while.

Nepenthes sanguinium a week after removing dead leaves and rehydration.

A Yamamoto dendrobium and that Nepenthes after cleanup and rehydration.

Another, larger Yamamoto dendrobium, also stored dry dormant in the garage and reviving this week.

Yamamoto Dendrobiums. 6.7.19

 These are a few of the Yamamoto Dendrobiums that I bought last year.  They don't get a lot of attention.  I thought they might bloom in winter, but now is good too.  If I remember, I'll check the tags and add the names later.

Repotting Yamamoto Dendrobiums. 1.29.19

These Yamamoto Dendrobiums kept falling over.  I think I over-nurtured them last summer and fall, and they became top heavy.  Maybe they would have bloomed already if I held off longer on watering and did not fertilize as much.  Still, they are very lush.  Maybe they will bloom later.

These orchids usually prefer being fairly pot-bound, but I don't like having them be so top-heavy and maybe dry out too fast between waterings.  So I repotted them.

Not much to it this time.  I just removed the pots and without much root disturbance, filled in with more orchid bark medium around the original roots.  I watered them in to settle the orchid bark.  They will be without water for a while now, as they settle in.

There is no excess of keikis - new stems with roots growing on top of the old stems.  That can happen with too much fertilizing too.  So I think they got enough, and not too much.  They look pretty happy with the care they got.

Yamamoto Dendrobiums. 1.22.18

 I've had these Yamamoto dendrobiums for many years.  They bloom every winter.

 I also have some plants that I bought a year ago. They grew very well, had a few blooms during the year,  but none yet now.   I may have overfed them - they are very lush.  Eventually I think they will bloom after all.

These were bought, I think, at Trader Joe's some time around 2010, possibly earlier.

Repotting and New Yamamoto Dendrobiums. 4.13.18

Repotting #1.  New Growth.

 I had lost enthusiasm for the Dendrobium hybrids, in 2016, and left a few in the compost pile.  Then I saw they survived the summer, and my enthusiasm renewed.  So I put them back into containers.  This one, in particular, was eaten by slugs that year, and in 2017.  This winter, I placed the bare-cane plant in the sunroom, put some organic slug pellets on the bark chips, and mostly left it alone.  It regrew, mainly keikei (new, removable branches with their own aerial roots), so I decided to pot it into a more appropriate (smaller) size container, with new orchid bark medium.  The roots looked healthy, but didn't fill the pot, so I chose a smaller size container.  A keiki fell off, so I potted that as well.  I don'tt have the label, but by the process of elimination, I think it might be the variety Love Memory "Fizz". I've had it at least 8 years.

As part of this new enthusiasm, I also ordered 4 new Yamamoto dendrobiums, direct from the hybridizer / creater, Yamamoto Dendrobiums in Hawaii.  I chose that route, despite shipping expense, because I thought the plants would be better than from a secondary supplier.  I think I was right.

Repotting #2.  Out of Container.

 I ordered the following varieties:

Mellow Heart "Yellow Mind"

Fancy Lady "Royal Princess"

 Red Emperor "Prince"

Oriental Smile "Fantasy"

The nursery also sent a start of a bonus plant, "
Wave King "Akebono"

Repotting #3.  In New Container, and Potted Keikei.

 I also repotted all of these new plants into slightly larger containers, in the same new bark medium.

Of my older Dendribiums, I don't know the name of the one that was left to founder until I rescued it from myself.  I'm pretty sure the flourishing white one is called Spring Dream "Apollon" and the pale pink one is called "Fancy Angel "Lycee".  

Dendrobiums and Tomato Seedlings.  4.13.18

These do so well with the care that I can give in my climate.  During the spring, summer, and fall, they will be outside in full sun.  I intend to do better this year, and water more frequently, but they survived previous years with rare watering in the summer.  I also intend to give some plant food this year.  It's not organic, but my choice this time is the diluted "Schultz" houseplant food, for convenience and the ability to give with each watering in dilute form.   When it appears that frost will come soon, I move them to the sunroom, give occasional water, and they bloom like crazy.

Sometimes they will also bloom at odd times, which is all the more welcome.

On the Yamamoto site, these orchids are pictured ready for commercial sale.  They are greenhouse grown in Hawaii, and bunched together for dramatic presentation.  In my SW Washington setting, they are not so lush, nor so prolific, and that's fine.  I can't believe how prolific they are, and how beautifully they bloom for me, with such minimal effort.

This being April, the rack also has tomato seedlings.  They are a little bigger than I want this time of year, but will be fine.

Sunroom, South & Southwest Views.  4.13.18

Sunroom, West View.  4.13.18

Yamamoto Dendrobium nobile in Bloom. 3.20.18

These are Yamamoto Dendrobium nobile hybrid orchids that I've had for, maybe, 10 years. During the summer, I just sit them under a tree. During the winter, I keep them in the sunroom, although any sunny window would do. This is when they bloom like crazy. I gave them a little diluted general plant food in January. Super easy to grow and maintain.

Sunroom Orchids. 3.9.18

Cymbidium Orchid.  3.9.18

 This is a good time for the sunroom orchids.  These get little care, just outside under a tree with occasional water, in the spring, summer, and fall, and into the sunroom for the winter.  I might fertilize with a very dilute general purpose plant food, but usually forget.  The orchid flowers last for a few months.  

Yamamoto Dendrobium.  3.9.18

Yamamoto Dendrobium.  3.9.18

Dendrobium Nobile in Bloom. 8.10.14

Dendrobium nobile 8.10.14

This Yamamoto-type Dendrobium nobile has been outside on the North side of the house.  I water it about once weekly or when I remember.  I noted buds last week.  Pretty nice.  This one is around 10 years old.

Orchid Progress Report. Yamamoto Dendrobium. 2.22.14

Yamamoto-type Dendrobium nobile

This Yamamoto Dendrobium was in the kitchen East window sill at the Battleground place, for the summer.  I brought it to Vancouver when flower buds started.

Based on comparison to web photos on the Yamamoto Dendrobium site, I think this is Fancy Angel "Lycee".  The plant for is quite different, due to my growth conditions.  I leave old canes in place, too, for nutrient storage by the plant and because it makes me think of how the plant might look growing in the wild.  Although these are such refined hybrids, nothing like them would be in the wild.  This was originally a Trader Joe orchid, probably 5 or more years ago.

Dendrobium nobile Spring Dream "Apollon"

 Added this Dendrobium nobile from Trader Joes.  I looks like Spring Dream "Apollon".  Since I am not producing or selling them, I will label it as such.   Taller and robust.

Here is an unlabeled Miltoniopsis hybrid bought a few weeks ago.  Continues to bloom.  The entire bathroom is fragrant from this flower.  Also Trader Joe.  Possibly "Maui Sunset".

Dendrobium nobile and Miltoniopsis hybrid

Orchids. Progress Report. 2.12.14

Green Cymbidium

Dendrobium nobile

Some nice orchid flowers now.  This is the first rebloom for this green flowered Cymbidium.  Pale green with white center.

The Yamamoto Dendrobium nobile is equally nice.

These make February more tolerable.

These had little pampering this year.  I had them outside, east side of the house in Battleground, for the summer and early fall.  I brought them inside as it started to cool off.

I rarely watered them.  When buds started to form, I watered using dilute general purpose plant food.

Indoor Garden. Orchids Blooming.

Cymbidium hybrid

Plant window in home office.  Cymbidium, Dendrobiums, and Oncidium.

Sanseveria and twinkle Oncidium orchids

Cold day.   Appreciate indoor garden.

The cymbidium hybrid was outside west of the house, out of full sun, all summer.  It did not get much water.  Brought inside in October.  Now blooming.  Watering with a diluted balanced mineral supplement.

Similar for the Oncidium hybrids.

The Sanseveria was left to languish in dry area on north porch, no water all summer.  I brought it inside and left it in garage, in October.  It's been there until today.  I cut off the dead  leaves.  It should regenerate by Spring.  Gives me something to appreciate growing.

Repotted the Yamamoto dendrobiums.  They had similar treatment.  I don't know what they'll do.  The look good considering how much they dried out.

I wondered how orchids and other plants survived the months-long journeys by ship in the Victorian era, and before that.  Many can handle extended period of dry, minimal light, and general neglect, for months.  Then regenerate when conditions are better.

There are other Cymbidiums.  One looks like it might also bloom.  The main issue with them - aphids.  The buds are covered with aphids when they are about to bloom.  A couple of sprayings with neem oil, and they look great.

It's nice to have plants that were dormant, or at least required minimal effort, in the summer, regenerate in the winter.

Orchid Blogging

During the summer there is so much going on, I tend to neglect the orchids. They give me so much pleasure during the winter, but sometimes they surprise me in Summer too. This one is probaby "Apollon" but was not labeled.  No special care - just tried to avoid completely drying out.  While cropping the pics I noted a visitor.

These are both Dendrobium nobile hybrids.

A closer view without kitty cat.

Cats are strange.

Orchid Report

During all of the destruction, construction, work and chaos, I've tried to keep the orchids properly placed, watered and fed. There may be a few casualties, but I think most have come through it. One concern was the fumes from floor finishing - it may be a while before the effects show up, but there does not appear to be any immediate death due to that exposure.

A new addition, Brassada Orange Delight "Hilo Sunrise". It was in spike and is now blooming. Bright and cheerful, compact size. If it stays small, and grows new, blooming pseudobulbs next year, that will be great.

Yamamoto Dendrobium Spring Dream "Apollon". These are the first blossoms on growth in my hands. It's interesting that so many of the Yamamoto Dendrobiums bloom in summer and again in winter.

Another view of Spring Dream "Apollon". The central eye is greener than shows up on the digital photo.  It has a single keiki, which is cool. If there were a lot of keikis, it would be a sign over too much nitrogen, but this one is on old non-blooming growth, and is a single keiki.  I will let it grow in place for a while.  There is also a new growth from the base.  Once the plant is done blooming, I will change back to a higher nitrogen orchid food to encourage the new growth to develop.

Yamamoto Dendrobium Yellow Song "Canary".

Yamamoto Dendrobiums progress report

These are most of the Yamamoto dendrobiums, out for the summer. I've been gradually moving them from the shaded part of the grape arbor to the full sun area. No sun burn to speak of. I've been watering them every couple of days. The weather is mostly overcast and warm but not hot. I've been giving them high nitrogen growth-food in a weak 1/4 strength solution. We still have rain water so I am not worried yet about salts.

This is the one that I identified as "Love Memory Fizz". I was surprised that it provided a few flowers in early summer. As I was taking the photo, I noted the fragrance. I did not recall it being fragrant. It has 3 new canes. They started slightly above the bark level so I added some fresh bark to the top to give the roots a place to grow. With some TLC and sunshine it should make a nice show next winter.

I stuck this cane section from "Yellow Song Canary" in bark medium this winter, just to see if it would grow. At this stage, the answer is "maybe". It will be slow. I like these little experiments.

The other keiki starts, one from "Love Memory Fizz" from July 2010 and the other from "Yellow Song Canary" this spring. Yesterday I potted them up a little into small, squat, clay pots. The heavier pots are less likely to fall over.

Starting Another Dendrobium nobile from a keiki

Dendrobium Yellow Song "Canary" grew a nice keiki so I decided to remove it and pot it up. Some of the web references, that I read, claim that keikis siphon energy off from the parent plant. Removal of the keiki ("keikiectomy"?) might help it grow and bloom. I don't know if the authors truly know that. But it's part of web orchid lore. There's also the fun of watching a new plant grow.

This was a keiki that I started in July. This was a nice, easily blooming variety, white flowers with blue fringes. It grew a nice fat looking pseudobulb cane, and now is producing 2 new sprouts. It's been getting the "weakly, weekly" 1/4 strength plant food treatment, high nitrogen growth formula version.

I've left it in the original container and growth medium. It may be good for another 6 months or year, before repotting is needed.

This is the Dendrobium Yellow Song "Canary" and keiki. I let it grow longer than I intended. I think no harm was done.


A section of parent pseudobulb is cut off along with the keiki. I don't have the fine touch, to just pull it off without causing damage. So I cut a section instead. The green root tips are a sign of healthy active growth.

Similarly, I removed the remainder of the cane, from above the keiki.

Some cinnamon is added to the cut surfaces. That's for mold prevention.
Resting in new container on bark-based orchid mix. Before adding medium, I placed the bamboo support stake into the pot. Easier that way. Less likely to damage the keiki's roots.
Now more bark medium is added. The top of the medium is at the juncture of keiki with stem.

Now it's just a matter of care. Same as an established orchid plant. I watered to settle it in, but will try to hold off more watering for a week or so. Probably best not to have watered the first day. I don't have the self discipline to wait.