Dendrobium Spectabile x sib. (Group: Latouria)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JEN!!!

Water: drench media in AM- allow to dry throughout the day until rest period (see below)
Humidity: > or = 50%
Fertilizer: 20-20-20; reduce fertilizer in Oct.
Temp:  mid 80sº F during the day, 10- to 20º F drop at night
Light: 5-8,000 fc; summer 10-11,000 fc; AKA “Cattleya light”;
Air:  enjoys good air circulation- I have mine in this holey orchid pot. 
Rest: cooler and drier with reduced fertilizer starting in October
Flowering:  Blooms midwinter-early spring; Flowers at 4-5 yrs old and when it has 4-7 canes. Spikes emerge from black spots on the side of the canes.
Repotting: springtime after flowering; sphagnum moss or medium fir bark; since it grows so large, may need supportive staking
Propogate:  divide canes

Originally from Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. We named ours "Alien". When the sunshine woke me up one morning, the light floated in paired with a floral scent equivalent to sweet sunshine. My Spectabile had finally bloomed ! This blessing arrived after over a month of watching a weird green alien spike emerge and creep out of black dot in the cane. These blooms hung around for over a month. When they finally dried, they became pretty dried specimens as well. Abundant nectar bejeweled the flower stalks. Go ahead - swipe a taste for floral flavored nectar.

Acquired 4/17/2014 from Kawamoto Orchids, Honolulu, HI

Other credited sources:

http://orchidsamore.com/tutorials/dendrobiun%20spectabile.htm

http://bursa-lukisan.blogspot.com/2009/12/dendrobium-spectabile.html

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