Friday, November 20, 2015

Dendrobium bullenianum Rchb.f 1862, first flowers in my garden



I have found that this Dendrobium is easy to cultivate in Puerto Rico.  The plant needs a well drained medium, abundant watering and regular fertilizing to produce its long canes.  It does equally well in the coast and in the mountains. Where I live, at 1000 feet of altitude temperatures only go under 60F at night during a short spell in winter, it doesn't seem to bother this plant.  I prefer to cultivate upside down like I do my Den. anosmum so that the mature canes hang down as they do in nature.  This is the first blooming of this species for me, the plant is still small and young.  I expect that when it reaches its adult size it will produce its characteristic many flowered globular inflorescences.