Noble dendrobium
Location
Orchid Room
- Common Name: Noble dendrobium
- Scientific Name: Dendrobium nobile
- Family Name: Orchidaceae
- Origin: South Asia
- Height: 12 inches
- Width: Variable
- Growth: Slow
- Zone: USDA Zone 11
- Light needs: Bright, indirect light
- Salt tolerance: Low
- Soil/pH/Texture: As an epiphytic plant, it does not require soil and can be placed on tree branches and trunks. If grown in a container, use a bark-based orchid medium.
- Moisture: Should be watered and misted regularly to maintain high humidity.
- Drought tolerance: Low
- Pests/Diseases: No major pests or diseases.
- Growing conditions: Grow this orchid in part shade or bright indirect light, as direct sunlight will cause burning. As an epiphytic plant it is best suited for growing on tree branches but can also be grown in an orchid medium. It also requires high humidity and may need a humidifier if grown indoors. To initiate flowering, night temperatures of 50 degrees to 60 degrees F are needed; the plant is sensitive to colder temperatures.
- Characteristics: Noble dendrobiums form spreading, bush-like structures when perched on tree branches or trunks. When planted in a container, the plant tends to remain somewhat smaller and more erect. The stems are segmented, with each segment growing a smooth, ovate, glossy leaf. Each stem will produce around 10 flowers, but larger plants may have 50 to 100 flowers per cane. Flowers are white, fading to bright magenta at the tips of petals with a deep reddish-pink center. The flowers have a sweet scent. This plant produces offsets at the end of its life.
- Propagation: By offsets.
- Facts: It is native to South Asia but has been naturalized in Hawaii. It is the state flower of Sikkim, a state in India.
- Designer considerations: This epiphytic plant adds color and texture interest to tree branches and trunks. It blooms in winter, meaning that its flowers will be present when other plants are not flowering, making it an excellent seasonal garden choice.