Aerides odorata Orchid - A to Z guide to growing and caring

Aerides odorata is a single-stemmed wild orchid with unique colored flowers, strong fragrance, easy to grow, easy to care for and blooms on time.

The Aerides odorata orchid (scientific name: Aerides odorata) is one of the beautiful and rare wild orchid species and is very popular with orchid enthusiasts because they not only possess elegant beauty with impressive colors but also have a strong, characteristic fragrance. Not only is it easy to domesticate and grow, but the Aerides odorata orchid is also very suitable for the climate conditions of Vietnam.

If you want to discover more information related to Hoang Nhan orchid as well as the most effective techniques for growing and caring for this orchid species, don't miss the following article from wild orchids .

Origin of Dendrobium orchid

Dendrobium orchid - a beautiful, fragrant wild orchid.

The scientific name of the orchid is Aerides odorata (Lour.), commonly known as Aerides odorata, April orchid, August orchid, belongs to the genus Aerides.

This orchid species was first scientifically described in 1790 by João de Loureiro - Portuguese botanist.

The name “Odorata” in Latin means “fragrant”, referring to the orchid's very distinctive scent.

Dendrobium orchids have a wide distribution range across countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia, typically:

• India, Nepal, Bhutan
• China, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos
• Vietnam: Especially the provinces in the Central and Central Highlands regions such as Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Gia Lai,...

In nature, this orchid species is epiphytic, growing on large tree trunks in dense forests, where there is scattered light, high humidity, and a distinct distinction between the dry and rainy seasons.

Classification of orchids

Currently in Vietnam, the Dendrobium orchid is divided into two lines: the April Dendrobium orchid and the August Dendrobium orchid.

April Swallow

April Orchid with lighter purple color.

This is a species of orchid that blooms in April of the solar calendar, often distributed in the Central region such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and the Central Highlands provinces.

Characteristics of April orchid:

• Shorter stem, shorter leaves, thicker than August orchid
• Shorter flower clusters, flowers arranged closely together
• Flowers are white-yellow, with a lighter purple throat.
• Has a strong, intense aroma
• Highly adaptable, easy to domesticate, good sun tolerance

August Orchid (August Orchid)

August Orchid has a darker purple color.

This is a species of orchid that only blooms in August of the solar calendar, usually existing in the northern mountainous regions such as Hoa Binh, Son La, Yen Bai,...

Characteristics of August orchid:

• Longer stem, softer, thinner leaves
• The flower cluster is longer but the flowers are sparser than the April Swallow orchid.
• The flower is white, the throat is darker purple.
• Has a gentle fragrance that lasts all day
• Is a rare and sought after orchid species.

Morphological characteristics of Dendrobium orchid

Close-up of the roots, stems, leaves and flowers of the orchid.

Let's learn in detail about the morphology of the stem, roots, leaves and flowers of the Dendrobium orchid to see what makes this orchid so special that it is loved by so many orchid collectors.

Close :

• Single stem orchid, straight stem 20 - 50 cm high
• The body is round, slightly flat and light green.

Leaves :

• Leaves grow alternately around the stem, sword-shaped, 20 - 35 cm long
• Leaves are glossy green, edges slightly curved, leaf tips notched

Roots :

• Air roots, large, long, growing from the base and part of the stem
• The roots are ivory white, the root tips are purple-blue.
• Thrives in moist and well-ventilated environments

Flower :

• The flower stalk grows from the leaf axils, 15 - 25 cm long, each stalk has 8 - 20 flowers hanging down in beautiful clusters.
• The petals are egg-shaped, pale yellow mixed with white or white mixed with light purple-pink.
• The flower's lips are purple-pink and curve backwards.
• The flower has a strong, sweet fragrance that spreads far and wide.

Flowering season :

• April orchid: Blooms in April - May
• August orchid: Blooms in August - September
• Each orchid: Only blooms once a year.

How to grow & care for Dendrobium orchid

A Cymbidium orchid plant is grown in a plastic pot.

If you are a "rookie" and do not have much experience growing Dendrobium orchids, do not miss the instructions for growing and caring for Dendrobium orchids that we share below. This is guaranteed to be a secret to help you easily conquer this special wild orchid species.

Selecting and processing orchid varieties

A decisive factor in your ability to succeed in growing orchids is to choose a good, healthy seedling and pre-treat it. Specifically as follows:

A healthy orchid seedling needs to meet the following criteria:

• Seedlings with intact roots, undamaged leaves, not waterlogged, and free of pests and diseases
• You can choose seedlings or mature trees depending on your needs and conditions.
• You should choose April orchid because this species is easy to domesticate and has a higher adaptability. If you are not afraid of difficulties, you can choose August orchid.

Seedling treatment:

• Wash the orchid roots and trim the roots, leaving only 5 - 10 cm of healthy roots to fit in the pot.
• Soak in diluted Physan 20 or Ridomil solution for 15 - 20 minutes to remove fungus.
• Let the tree dry naturally for 1 - 2 days before grafting.

Select and process the growing medium for Dendrobium orchids

The orchid is a single-stemmed species that likes to be dry and airy, so the growing medium you choose needs to have good drainage and ventilation. Here are some optimal suggestions:

• Grafting orchids on wood, driftwood, longan wood, star apple wood, and coconut fiber board
• Plant in terracotta pots, airy wooden pots + pine bark, charcoal, coconut fiber pieces,...
• The substrate also needs to be soaked in diluted lime water for 2-3 days, dried to disinfect and remove fungus before being used to grow orchids.

Techniques for growing and grafting Dendrobium orchids

You can grow Dendrobium orchids in two ways: in pots or on wood. The detailed techniques are as below.

Planting orchids in pots :

• Each pot should only have 1 plant so that the orchid can grow best, the plants do not crowd each other.
• Put the orchid root in the pot, remove pine bark around to fix the orchid root.
• Hang the orchid pot in a cool place, do not water for the first 3 - 4 days, then just spray lightly
• You can spray more B1 + Atonik to stimulate orchid roots.
• After about 15 days, you can water and care for the orchid as usual.

Grafting orchid onto wood or cork board :

• Place the orchid root on a wooden board or wooden base, use soft nylon string or thin wire to fix the orchid root, do not tighten too much to avoid damaging the orchid root.
• The orchid base should be placed slightly tilted, with the roots facing down for best orchid growth.
• For orchid roots that do not have new roots, you should limit watering for the first week.
• When you see new roots growing, water and fertilize as usual.

Caring for Dendrobium orchids from A to Z

To help the orchid grow best, please take care of it according to the detailed instructions below.

Planting location & light :

• Maintain 60 - 70% diffused light, equivalent to early morning or cool afternoon sunlight
• Hang orchids in a high, airy place, can be hung under the porch, under a layer of orchid net.
• If you see long, soft, dark green orchid leaves, the orchid is probably lacking light. If the leaves are yellow and have thin edges, you need to cover the orchid from the sun.

Watering properly :

• Dry season: Water 1 - 2 times/day
• Rainy season: Reduce watering, check the growing medium before watering
• Use a mist sprayer or a gentle watering nozzle: Do not water too hard to avoid eroding the roots or damaging the leaves.

Fertilizer for each stage :

• Post-grafting stage : Spray B1, Atonik or Rootplex fertilizer once a week
• Stable plant stage : Fertilize with NPK 30-10-10 or organic fertilizer, slow-release fertilizer every 7 days.
• Flowering preparation stage : Switch to NPK 6-30-30 combined with Atonik to provide reserve nutrients for orchids.
• Post-flowering stage : NPK 15-20-25, Boron, Calcium, liquid organic fertilizer

Disease prevention for Dendrobium orchids :

• Trim yellow leaves, rotten roots, and rotten leaf sheaths periodically to prevent fungus.
• Spray Ridomil Gold and Antracol periodically to prevent fungus.
• Spray Kasumin to prevent bacteria
• Spray Confidor to prevent insects such as red spiders and mealybugs.
• Keep the growing environment airy and clean

How to stimulate Dendrobium orchids to bloom in season

Secret to stimulate orchid to bloom.

Most of the time, Nhan orchids can bloom naturally, but to make the flowers bloom at the right time and most brilliantly, you need to process the flowers 2 - 3 months before the natural flowering cycle of this orchid species.

Prepare the plant before flowering

Dendrobium orchids can only bloom when the plant is mature and meets the following basic requirements:

• Healthy tree
• The tree has roots and leaves.
• Plant has been potted for at least 6 months - 1 year

Note: Absolutely do not stimulate flowers when the plant is weak, developing young roots or newly planted or grafted because it will weaken the plant.

Techniques to stimulate the growth of Dendrobium orchids

To stimulate the orchid to bloom, you must carry out two stages: "dry rest" and "simulating the rainy season", specifically as follows.

“Dry” period - Dry season simulation :

• Purpose Make the plant stop growing and "hibernate" so that it can bloom en masse.
• Time April orchid from December - January, August orchid from early May - mid-June.
• Stop fertilizing, just water lightly about 2-3 times/day
• Reduce watering to create “dry shock”
• Hang the plant in a cool, sunny place

Flowering stage - Rainy season simulation :

• Time After the orchid has rested for 3 - 4 weeks and new shoots have developed
• Water once a day
• Spray flower stimulant once every 7 days, continuously for 2-3 times. You can use NPK 6-30-30, MKP 0-52-34 or biological drugs such as Atonik, B1,...
• The plant will sprout flower buds after about 1 month of flower stimulation.

Orchid price list

Depending on the origin, condition and age of the tree, the orchid is sold at many different prices, from just a few tens of thousands/tree to several million VND/tree. To find out more details, please refer to the following price list.

Questions and answers about Dendrobium orchid

Is the orchid fragrant?

Yes, the orchid has a very strong, sweet and far-reaching fragrance, extremely impressive.

Is Cymbidium easy to grow?

Yes, you just need to grasp some basic techniques on how to plant and care that we shared above to be successful from the first time.

How many times a year does the orchid bloom?

Orchid blooms only once a year in a fixed season, depending on the variety.

Beautiful Dendrobium Orchid Pictures

To help you fully admire the captivating beauty of the orchid, right below we have collected many beautiful pictures of this orchid species, ensuring that you will be "captivated" at first sight.

A pot of Dendrobium orchid has a beautiful arrangement of stem, leaves and flowers.

Clusters of Dendrobium orchids with colorful, eye-catching colors.

A giant orchid is blooming.

The August orchid clusters are in full bloom.

Small and pretty April orchid pot.

The small, pretty orchid flowers have eye-catching colors.

It can be seen that the orchid Hoang Nhan is not only a beautiful wild orchid with harmonious, eye-catching colors but also has a passionate, far-reaching fragrance, very suitable to be a highlight for your garden.

Hopefully, with the information that orchid-vn.com shares above, it will help you understand and know how to grow and take good care of this special Nhan orchid species so that you can own the most beautiful and fragrant orchid pots.

Goodbye and see you soon in the next articles of the Blog section to learn more effective orchid growing experiences.