                                Dendrobium

CALLISTA - Most are bulbous plants with a pendant inflorescence.

Species: aggregatum, chrysotoxum, densiflorum, farmeri, thyrsiflorum, etc.

CULTURE:  Summer - give warmth (60 to 90 degrees F), medium light, medium quantities
of water and fertilizer.  Winter - cool (50 degree F nights), medium fight, enough water to
keep bulbs from shriveling, no fertilizer.


SPATULATA (antelope-type) - Evergreen for several years.  Most are large, vigorous
plants with long-lasting blooms in summer to several times a year.

Species:  antennatum, canaliculatum, discolor, gouldii, johannis, lineale (veratrifolium),
stratiotes, strebloceras, taurinum.

CULTURE:  Warm all year (55 to 60 degrees F nights, to 90 degrees F days); no rest
period; can be kept cooler in winter if dry; medium to high light.


DENDROBIUM - Most plants pendulous, leaves all along canes.  Flowers 2-5 per
inflorescence, from upper nodes of leafless canes.

Species-Group 1: chrysanthum, friedricksianum, nobile, wardianum.

Species-Group 2: anosmum, crasinode, falconeri, fimbriatum, findlayanum, heterocarpum
(aureum), loddigesii, moniliforme, parishii, primulinum, transparens.

CULTURE-Group 1: Growth period in summer - give warmth, water, and fertilizer
heavily from when roots appear until top leaf appears on canes.  Then give high light, little
to no water, no fertilizer, cool nights (40 to 50 degrees F).  In other words, forget about
them!

CULTURE - Group 2: Same as Group 1, but winter nights 55 degrees F.  Deciduous
species need virtually no water in winter.


LATOURIA - Leaves at top of pseudobulbs are large and leathery ,inflorescence erect,
flowers commonly yeIlow-green.

Species:  atroviolaceum, macrophyllum, spectabile, etc.

CULTURE:  Same as antelope-types, but cooler and drier when resting in winter.


FORMOSAE - Cane-like pseudobulbs, with black hairs on leaf sheaths and pseudobulbs
often apparent.  Flowers usually white, up to 4' across, 2 to 3 together from near the end
of the pseudobulb.

Species:  bellatulum, dearii, draconis,  formosum, infundibulum, lowii, lyonii,
margaritaceum, sanderae, schuetzii.

CULTURE:  Intermediate to cool year-round, 50 to 60 degrees F nights, max. 85 degrees
F days.  Water and fertilize when growing; give a slight, short rest  (dry) when growth is
completed.  Keep barely moist until growth starts again.


PHALAENANTHE - Evergreen for several years, with thin, tall pseudobulbs, terminal
inflorescences, usually appearing in fall or twice a year (see culture).

Species:  affine, bigibbum (phalaenopsis), dicuphum, williamsianum.

CULTURE:  Grow warm year-round (see below); 60 degrees F nights; water and fertilize
heavily when roots appear from new growth; low to medium light; reduce water and
fertilizer after growth finishes.  If a short (3 to 4 week) cooler (55 degrees F), dry rest period
is given, and then the plants are warmed (60 degrees F Min.), another growth may mature
during winter and bloom in the spring.  Treat this growth as a summer growth cycle.  These
grow well with phalaenopsis, except for the rest period.  If you must keep plants cool in the
winter, keep them bone dry until the weather warms, then water as growth appears.  Plants
will go deciduous with this cool/dry treatment.