Lime Dendrobium Orchid - Growing & Care Techniques from A to Z

Dendrobium cretaceum is a wild orchid with a stem covered with a characteristic white layer of lime. Its flowers are light purple, have a strong fragrance, and are easy to grow and care for.

Lime Dendrobium Orchid is one of the most popular wild orchids in Vietnam. Not only does it have a unique appearance with a stem covered with a characteristic white powder, the flowers have elegant colors, a pleasant fragrance, and are easy to grow and care for, making them perfect for those new to growing orchids.

In today's article, let's learn about the morphological characteristics, growth as well as the techniques for planting and caring for lime orchids properly to help the orchid bloom beautifully, on time and stay fresh for a long time .

General information about lime orchid

The lime orchid flowers are super beautiful.

Dendrobium cretaceum, scientifically known as Dendrobium cretaceum, belongs to the genus Dendrobium, is a wild orchid native to Southeast Asia and South Asia, specifically in the following countries:

• Vietnam: Commonly distributed in the northern mountainous provinces such as Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Ha Giang, Hoa Binh and Lam Dong,...
• Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, India,...

In nature, they usually grow in forests with cool, humid climates and medium diffuse light.

The name “cretaceum” is derived from the Latin “Cretaceus”, meaning “whitewashed”, describing the orchid species that is covered with a white powdery coating on its stems.

Morphological and growth characteristics of lime orchid

Let's learn about the morphological and growth characteristics of lime orchids to see if they are different from other orchids in the Dendrobium family.

Morphological characteristics of lime orchid

Shape of stem, leaves and flowers of lime orchid.

Here are detailed characteristics of the stem, leaves, flowers and roots of the lime orchid. Let's learn to easily identify this orchid species.

Close :

• The stem is long, short, thick, cylindrical like Long Tu orchid, 20 - 50 cm long.
• The body has many concave eyes, flexible and soft.
• Young stems are light green, when in dormant season they will be more shiny, with a layer of white powder covering the outside.

Leaves :

• Leaves are lanceolate, 7 - 10 cm long, 2.5 - 4 cm wide, thick, succulent.
• Grow symmetrically on both sides of the body.
• Leaves fall in winter and spring to prepare for flowering in summer.

Roots :

• Wind roots, silvery white in color, grow from the node at the base
• Has good adhesion.

Flower :

• Flowers grow singly or in pairs at the nodes of deciduous stems.
• There are many hairs on the petals and tongue of the flower.
• The scent is jasmine-like, changing over time, strong in the morning, mellow in the afternoon and no longer fragrant by evening.
• Flowers are light purple or pinkish white, soft petals, diameter from 4 - 6 cm
• The flower throat is large, round, covered with a layer of white powder like lime.
• Flowers stay fresh for 15 - 18 days.

Growth characteristics of lime orchid

Lime orchids also have many common growth characteristics similar to many other wild orchids such as liking diffused light, liking moisture and needing to be "dried" to stimulate flowering, specifically as follows:

• Grows in summer - autumn, sheds leaves in winter and flowers in late winter - early spring, around February - April of the solar calendar.
• This is a type of orchid that likes moderate light and does not like strong sunlight.
• Prefers cool, humid, airy climate.
• The tree only differentiates flower buds when the stem has lost all its leaves, so it needs a period of "resting - drying" to stimulate flowering.

How to grow & care for lime orchid in detail

Detailed technique for growing lime orchids.

If you are new to orchids and do not have much experience with lime orchids, follow the content below to learn how to grow and care for this wild orchid properly.

Selecting varieties & growing medium for Lime Dendrobium orchids

In order for your pot of Dendrobium to grow well and bloom soon, choosing good varieties and suitable substrate is an important factor.

A good lime orchid seedling needs to meet the following criteria:

• The tree trunk is plump, strong, and free of pests and diseases.
• Green leaves, not wilted, not yellow
• If the orchid is newly exploited and not yet domesticated, it needs to be cleaned first before planting or grafting.

Suitable substrate :

• Graft driftwood, coconut fiber board or forest bark.
• Plant in terracotta pots, plastic pots + charcoal + pumice,... with good drainage.

Techniques for growing/grafting lime orchids

Here is the correct technique for planting/grafting lime orchids to help your orchid pots take root soon.

• Seedling treatment: Cut off rotten roots, soak the plant in lime water or Physan 20 solution, hang the plant in a cool place for 1 - 2 days to dry and heal the cut.
• Grafting/planting: Use soft nylon wire or zip ties to secure the orchid root to the substrate, with the root facing up and the tip hanging down because this is a hanging orchid species.
• Hang the orchid in a cool place, only spray with mist for the first 3 - 5 days. After seeing the roots sprout, move it to a place with 50 - 70% sunlight.

Care for Lime Dendrobium orchids in each stage

At each stage of development, the lime orchid needs different care, specifically as follows:

Growth stage (spring - summer) :

• Watering: 1 - 2 times/day in the early morning or cool afternoon, do not water at noon.
• Fertilizer: Use diluted NPK 30-10-10 or Atonik, HVP, spray on leaves every 10 days.
• Disease prevention: Spray antifungal medicine once a month, for example Ridomil Gold, Score.

Flowering stage (autumn - winter) :

• Reduce watering frequency. When you see the tree losing all its leaves, stop watering for about 3-4 weeks to "dry out" it and help the tree differentiate flower buds.
• Do not fertilize at this stage.
• When you see flower buds appear, apply flower stimulant fertilizer such as NPK 10-30-20 or low dose B1.

Notes when planting lime orchids

Here are some important notes that you need to know if you want your lime orchid pot to grow well, bloom beautifully, and in season:

• Absolutely do not water the tree when all the leaves have fallen.
• If planting in pots, do not cover the base and do not plant too deep.
• Do not overuse chemical fertilizers if you do not want the plants to burn their roots, die prematurely, and grow slowly.
• Use diluted fertilizer, preferably organic fertilizer.
• Every 1-2 years, you need to change the growing medium, check the orchid roots, and cut off rotten roots.
• Hang orchids in a cool, windy place, away from direct sunlight.

Price list of lime orchids

Currently, the price of Dendrobium orchids in Vietnam fluctuates quite a lot, depending on the quality of the orchid, purity, size and origin. If you want to know more accurate information to estimate your financial ability, please refer to the following price list.

Questions and answers about lime orchid

What month does the lime orchid bloom?

Lime orchids usually bloom from February to April (late dry season - early spring), when the plant has gone through its "dormant" phase.

Should I grow lime orchids in pots or on wood?

Depending on the conditions, you can choose one of the two above methods, both are good. Grafting wood is airy, suitable for humid, cool climates. Planting in pots is easier to control, water, and move.

Is the lime orchid fragrant?

Yes, the lime orchid is a very fragrant, sweet wild orchid, similar to jasmine and has a strong fragrance in the morning.

Beautiful lime orchid pictures

We invite you to admire the rustic yet captivating beauty of the lime orchid - the most popular wild orchid with a pleasant fragrance during the New Year and Spring.

A clump of lime orchids with lots of flowers.

Clusters of lime orchids with gentle, beautiful colors.

A super beautiful orchid pot.

Dendrobium orchid pot grafted with artistic wood.

Lime orchid is grown in plastic pots.

A lime orchid pot is grown in a grafted style.

A lime orchid in the growing stage with lush green leaves and lush stems.

With its rustic, elegant beauty, rich fragrance, adaptability and ease of care, the lime orchid is a perfect choice for those who want to add a touch of color to their garden.

Hopefully, with the information that orchid-vn.com has shared in the above article, it will help you understand and know how to grow and care for lime orchids better to own beautiful orchid pots.

Please visit our Blog section regularly to read more interesting articles about orchids.