Dendrobium hirsutum with fringed lips - Wild orchid with fringed "lips"

The Dendrobium hirsutum (Dendrobium hirsutum) is a rare wild orchid with an impressive appearance with a lip full of fringes/beards, and has high collectible value.

Dendrobium hirsutum brymerianum is a rare wild orchid species originating from the primeval forests of Asia. They are known for their unique appearance with bright yellow flowers and a wide lip with many fringes like beards. In addition, this wild orchid species also has a gentle and pleasant fragrance, and is very valuable as a collector.

In today's article, let's join wild orchid to learn in detail about the origin, characteristics and how to grow & care for the Dendrobium orchid to gain a lot of experience when trying this special wild orchid species.

Origin & distribution of Dendrobium orchid

Dendrobium is a rare wild orchid with a unique shape.

Dendrobium brymerianum, also known as Dendrobium brymerianum, is a rare orchid species originating from tropical Asia. It is mainly distributed in some countries such as Vietnam, India, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, southern China,...

In the natural environment, Dendrobium orchids often grow in primeval forests at an altitude of 1,000 - 1,500 meters above sea level, where there is high humidity, scattered light and a cool climate all year round.

In Vietnam, the Bearded Lip Orchid is considered one of the rare wild orchids, often appearing in the northern mountainous provinces such as Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau,...

Special shape of Dendrobium orchid

Shape of the stem, roots, leaves and flowers of the orchid Dendrobium.

Dendrobium orchidum is considered one of the orchid species that possesses a unique shape with long “beards/tassels” that are easily recognizable compared to other orchid species. Let’s learn in detail about the shape of the stem, pseudobulb leaves and flowers of this orchid species.

Flower :

• The flowers are bright yellow, the throat is orange.
• The wings are long, soft, slightly curly and arranged symmetrically.
• The lip is wide and has a fringed border like a drooping beard - this is also the most special feature of the Fringe-lipped Dendrobium flower.
• The flowers have a light and very pleasant fragrance.
• Flowers usually bloom in spring or early summer, flowers bloom for a few weeks.
• Flowers grow from old stems after all leaves have fallen, one stem can bloom from 3 to 5 leaves.

Close

• The pseudobulb-shaped body is cylindrical and slightly swollen like a pupa, with clear segments.
• The trunk is glossy green, when the tree is old the trunk turns light yellow, with a thin bark.

Leaves :

• Thin, long lanceolate leaves are dark green with clear veins.
• Leaves grow alternately on the stem, mainly concentrated from the upper half of the young stem.
• Leaves are usually shed in late fall or early winter to allow the plant to flower in spring.

Roots :

• The wind root is thin and has a silvery white outer shell.
• Roots thrive in high humidity, airy conditions.

How to grow and care for Dendrobium orchid from A to Z

Dendrobium is a wild orchid, so you need a lot of experience to be able to grow healthy, beautiful, and fruitful plants. And here is how to grow and care for Dendrobium from A to Z in detail, let's find out now.

Prepare substrate & process orchid seedlings

Before planting and grafting Dendrobium orchids, you need to prepare the substrate and treat the seedlings. Please follow the instructions below.

Prepare the substrate :

• Should be grafted on driftwood, longan or star apple wood or planted in terracotta pots.
• Treat the substrate by soaking in lime water and drying in the sun to disinfect.

Seedling treatment :

• Cut off damaged roots and yellow leaves
• Soak the tree base in root stimulant for about 15 - 30 minutes.
• Hang the tree upside down in a cool place for 1 - 2 days before grafting.

How to graft/plant Dendrobium orchid

You can choose to graft the orchid onto wood or plant it in a pot. Follow the instructions below so that the plant can take root soon.

Grafting Dendrobium bearded lip orchid onto wood :

• Use nylon string or zip ties to secure the orchid roots to the substrate.
• Do not press too hard, keep the plant upright.
• After grafting, place the substrate in a cool, covered or shaded place.

Planting orchids in pots :

• Place a layer of charcoal at the bottom of the pot to increase drainage.
• Place the tree in the middle of the pot, cover with pine bark, moss or coconut fiber, and secure lightly with string.
• Do not cover the base completely, leave some space for ventilation.

How to care for Dendrobium orchid

Depending on the season and growth stage, you will have different ways to care for the orchid. Specifically as follows:

Developmental stage (April - October) :

• Water 1 - 2 times per day, keep moist but not waterlogged.
• Fertilize with NPK 30-10-10 or B1 + Atonik once a week to help the stem grow.
• Add organic fertilizer once a month.
• Spray anti-fungal spray once every 15 days.

Flower bud differentiation stage (November - January)

• Limit watering, water once every 5-7 days with moderate amount of water.
• Do not fertilize, create dry conditions to stimulate flower buds.

Flowering stage (Early January)

• When you see the pseudobulb is plump, start to stimulate flowering.
• Use NPK 10-30-20 fertilizer, spray once a week.
• Maintain more light, can let direct light shine for 2 - 3 hours per day.

Flowering stage :

• When the flowers have completely faded, prune to nourish the plant.
• Do not cut close to the base, keep the old stem.
• Spray 30-10-10 fertilizer to promote new shoot growth.

Prevention and treatment of diseases for Dendrobium orchid

To help the orchid limit pests and diseases and grow well, bloom in season, you need to pay attention to disease prevention and treatment for orchids. Please note the following.

Principles of disease prevention :

• Plant in airy, light place
• Do not let water accumulate
• Spray fungicide every 15 days
• Spraying root stimulant, B1, Atonik alternately helps plants have better resistance.

Common diseases in orchids and how to treat them :

• Root rot, black, soft roots with foul odor: Cut off the rotten roots, disinfect, hang the plant to dry for 2-3 days before replanting/grafting into a new substrate:
• Leaf spot and yellow leaf disease: Cut off diseased leaves, spray Antracol or Daconil,...
• Red spider, mealybug, thrips: Isolate diseased plants, wipe leaves with 70-degree alcohol, spray Confidor, Neem oil,...
• Plants are weakened and have rotten buds: Change the substrate, treat the roots, and add calcium and magnesium in chelated form to help the plant recover quickly.

Distinguishing between Dendrobium and Cymbidium orchids

Dendrobium and Cymbidium.

Nowadays, many people confuse the Dendrobium orchid with the Cymbidium orchid because they are both bright yellow and have fringes. However, in fact, these two orchid species are completely different from the stem, flower to the lip, specifically as follows:

Price of Dendrobium orchid

Right below is the price list of Dendrobium orchids that we have updated from many different sources. Please refer to it to see if this type of orchid is expensive.

• Unpurified orchid : 30,000 - 50,000 VND/plant.
• Wild orchid : 250,000 - 450,000 VND/kg.
• Cultivated orchid with fringed lips, small pot, 2 - 3 stems : 150,000 - 250,000 VND/pot

Questions and answers about Dendrobium orchid

Is the orchid fragrant?

The orchid has a light, pleasant fragrance, not strong.

What month does the Dendrobium orchid bloom?

Dendrobium orchids usually bloom from April to June, depending on the climate conditions of each region.

Is the Dendrobium orchid easy to grow?

Although it is a wild orchid, the Dendrobium latifolium is not too difficult to grow. You just need experience and follow the instructions we shared above.

Dendrobium orchid image

Below is a collection of the most beautiful and impressive images of the Dendrobium orchid that we have collected. Please take a look to get a clearer picture of this special shaped orchid.

A cluster of Dendrobium orchids is blooming, showing off its brilliant beauty.

Close-up of a Dendrobium orchid with long antennae.

Dendrobium beardedum orchids grow in the wild.

The Dendrobium orchids are blooming in the night.

Close-up of the unique long "beards" of the Dendrobium orchid.

Above, orchid-vn.com has shared all the relevant information about the Dendrobium orchid, hoping to help you understand and know how to grow and care for this special wild orchid.

Although the orchid has an impressive and eye-catching appearance, it is very rare and requires the player to have a lot of experience in caring for wild orchids, so you need to consider carefully when trying this orchid species.

Goodbye and see you soon in the next articles of the Blog section to learn more about many other beautiful and unique orchid species so that you can choose the most suitable flowers for yourself.