Dendrobium orchid - Classification & Most detailed growing techniques

Aerides, the common name for fragrant, colorful, easy-to-grow wild orchids of the genus Aerides. Learn more here.

Dendrobium orchid is the common name for orchid species of the genus Aerides, a group of epiphytic wild orchids and is very popular in Vietnam thanks to its beautiful flowers, strong fragrance and good adaptability.

In today's article, let's learn about the Dendrobium orchid and some popular Dendrobium orchid species in Vietnam to see which type of Dendrobium orchid will make you "flutter" the most.

Overview of Dendrobium orchid

A pot of Dendrobium orchid with beautiful, fragrant flower clusters.

Aerides is the common name for several species of orchids belonging to the genus Aerides, native to tropical Asia, especially in countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, China, India and Sri Lanka.

In Vietnam alone, Dendrobium orchids are distributed in many mountainous provinces in the North, Central and Central Highlands such as Hoa Binh, Son La, Lao Cai, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ngai,...

In nature, Dendrobium species often live epiphytically on large tree trunks in dense forests, at altitudes of 200 - 1500m above sea level, with humid, airy conditions and scattered light.

Currently, there are about 25 species of Aerides in the world, of which Vietnam has up to 8 native species.

General characteristics of Dendrobium orchids

Although there are many different species, most Dendrobium species have the following common characteristics:

Trunk :

• The stem is single, grows upright and has no pseudobulbs.
• Height from 30 -100 cm, depending on species.
• The stem is usually dark green or purple, with many longitudinal grooves.

Leaves :

• Thick, symmetrical, long leaf blade, with distinct grooves.
• Leaves are glossy green and succulent.
• Some special species of rosewood such as foxtail and foxtail have soft, drooping leaves.

Flower :

• Flowers usually grow in clusters 20 - 60 cm long, hanging down and looking very beautiful.
• Flowers grow densely on long stalks.
• Has a strong, sweet fragrance that spreads everywhere.
• Each flower usually has 3 sepals, 3 petals with the same shape, the flower lip has a different and prominent color.
• Flowers usually come in tones such as white, purple, pink and pale yellow.

Growth characteristics :

• Is a healthy, well-adapted wild orchid line.
• Prefers light, needs airy environment, high humidity
• Plants always need a "rest" period in the cold season to differentiate flower buds and prepare to bloom.

Popular types of Dendrobium orchids in Vietnam

Below are some popular Dendrobium species in the Vietnamese orchid market, please join us to learn more.

Rosewood

Pink rose with light pink color.

Rosewood, scientifically known as Aerides odorata, is one of the most common rosewood species in Vietnam. It is naturally distributed in forests belonging to Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, Gia Lai, Kon Tum,...

Characteristics of rosewood:

• Is a single-stem, epiphytic orchid.
• Straight stem, thick, long leaves, growing symmetrically.
• Flowers grow in drooping clusters 20 - 40 cm long, each cluster can have up to 50 small flowers.
• The flower is light pink, the petals are white mixed with purple pink, the flower lip is yellow or light orange.
• The flowers have a sweet, deep fragrance.
• Usually blooms from March to May, flowers last from 10 to 15 days.

Fox Tail Incense

A foxtail orchid grows on a tall tree trunk.

Another popular rosewood species in our country is the foxtail rosewood (scientific name: Aerides rosea). This is a wild orchid native to Indochina including Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

General characteristics of foxtail orchid:

• Single stem, straight or slightly inclined, 30 - 80 cm high.
• Leaves are soft, drooping, symmetrical, green in color. Leaf surface has slight grooves.
• Flowers grow in clusters 30 - 60 cm long, curved softly like a fox's tail.
• Flowers are white mixed with light pink or purple, the lip is dark purple or yellow.
• Good sun resistance.
• Flowers usually bloom from April to June, flowers stay fresh for 10 - 20 days.

Foxtail Sandalwood

Super beautiful clusters of foxtail orchid flowers.

Aerides multiflora is one of the rare and precious wild orchid species. They are mainly distributed in Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, India and Nepal.

Characteristics of foxtail orchid:

• Single stem, upright, 30 - 80 cm high
• Thick leaves, wide sheaths, symmetrical, shiny green, hard
• Flowers grow in clusters 20 - 50 cm long, a cluster has many tiny flowers that look like a firecracker.
• Flowers are usually pink mixed with white. Lips are dark purple.
• It has the most intense fragrance of all sandalwoods, and can even spread several meters away.
• Flowers usually bloom in summer from May to July, flowers stay fresh for 10 - 20 days.
• This is a strong, adaptable, easy-to-live orchid with a high ability to self-recover after drought.

The Three Jewels of the Rose

Three-color rosewood flower

The Aerides lawrenceae orchid (scientific name is Aerides lawrenceae) is one of the colorful wild orchid species with three tones blending together, originating in Southeast Asia, popular in some countries such as the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand.

Characteristics of the three-color orchid:

• Single stem, straight, about 30 - 60 cm high
• Thick, sword-shaped leaves, grow symmetrically, dark green.
• Flowers grow in clusters 16 - 30 cm long, each cluster has 20 - 40 small flowers.
• White or pink petals, yellow lip creates a very special highlight.
• The flowers have a pleasant, light but lingering fragrance all day long.
• Blooms from April to June, flowers last from 10 to 15 days.
• Suitable for hot and humid climate, airy, prefers light sunlight.

Cinnamon

Clusters of cinnamon flowers have a characteristic white color with yellow tongue.

When it comes to the Dendrobium orchid family, most orchid connoisseurs will immediately think of the Aerides Odorata orchid. This is a very popular orchid species because it is both strong and has beautiful flowers with a special fragrance.

Characteristics of cinnamon:

• The flowers have a very strong cinnamon scent that lingers in the air for a long time.
• Single stem, upright, no pseudobulbs
• The leaves are sturdy, large, green, and arranged alternately.
• Flowers form clusters 20 - 50 cm long, hanging down.
• Flowers are usually ivory white with lemon yellow or light purple tongue. In addition, there is a type of purple orchid that has a very unique deep purple color.

Basic techniques for planting and caring for Dendrobium orchids

A Dendrobium orchid is grown in a plastic pot, hung high.

Below are basic techniques for planting and caring for Dendrobium orchids for beginners, helping the orchids grow well, bloom beautifully, have long-lasting color and fragrance. Let's find out now!

Choose varieties and growing medium for Dendrobium orchids

If you want your Dendrobium orchids to take root and grow well, you need to choose standard varieties and pay attention to the following basics:

• Choose plants with plump stems, fresh roots, not crushed or waterlogged, and leaves free of pests and diseases.
• Choose a plant with 2-3 leaves and sprouting roots to be able to cling well to the substrate.

All species of Dendrobium are epiphytes, so you can grow them in pots or graft them onto wood with the following substrates:

• Longan wood, coconut fiber board or terracotta pot + charcoal, pumice stone.
• The growing media must be treated with fungi before planting.

Dendrobium orchid grafting technique

To be able to successfully graft and grow Dendrobium orchids, you need to follow the following technique:

• Wash the roots, cut off damaged and waterlogged roots.
• Soak the orchid roots in fungicide or Physan for 10 - 15 minutes before planting, then hang in a cool place for 1 - 2 days.
• Use zip ties or nylon rope to secure the plant to the substrate.
• Hang the plant in a well-ventilated place with diffused light.

How to care for Dendrobium orchid

To help the orchid grow best and bloom beautifully, you need to pay attention to watering properly, fertilizing appropriately and preventing diseases in time. Specifically as follows:

How to water & maintain humidity :

• Water 1 - 2 times per day, depending on the weather, reduce watering during the rainy season.
• Water only in the early morning or cool evening.
• When the roots have not yet attached to the substrate, only use a spray bottle to spray lightly, do not water too much.

Fertilize appropriately for each stage :

• During the growth stage of the orchid (rooting, leaf growth): Use NPK 30-10-10 or NPK 20-20-20, fertilize once every 10 days.
• During the flowering stage, the orchid is ready to bloom: Switch to using NPK fertilizer 10-30-10, 6-30-30 to stimulate flowering.

Disease prevention for Dendrobium orchids :

• Prevent fungus and root rot: Use Physan 20 and Nano silver to spray periodically every 2 weeks.
• Prevent mealybugs and red spiders: Use Confidor to spray on the underside of leaves.
• Do not let the plant get too humid, windproof, do not water too much, it can easily lead to root rot and leaf spots.
• Do not expose orchids to harsh light as it will burn the leaves.

Dendrobium orchid price list

Right below is the price list of Dendrobium orchids according to each specific line. Please read on to find out the price of each type of flower to see which type suits your needs and financial ability.

Beautiful pictures of Dendrobium flowers

Please enjoy the beautiful pictures of Dendrobium orchids with many different colorful colors to fully appreciate the beauty of this wonderfully fragrant orchid.

Red sun orchid with brilliant color.

The flowers are more fan-shaped with unique colors.

Pot of purple cinnamon orchid is super beautiful and rare.

Dendrobium branches with gentle, delicate colors.

Dendrobium orchid has beautiful purple pink and white colors.

A pot of brown cinnamon orchid in full bloom.

With its charming beauty, diverse in color and species, Dendrobium orchids are the ideal choice for those who are passionate about beautiful wild orchids with unique fragrances. Hopefully, with the information that orchid-vn.com shares above, you will find the most satisfactory Dendrobium orchids to both decorate your garden and satisfy your passion for growing orchids.

Don't forget to visit our Blog section to explore another diverse and unique world of orchids.