Phi diep orchid - Classification, detailed care techniques from A to Z

Dendrobium anosmum is a rare wild orchid species, possessing elegant beauty, unique and attractive fragrance and many valuable mutant varieties.

Phi diep orchid (Diamond orchid, Cymbidium orchid) is one of the rare and very popular wild orchid species in Vietnam thanks to its pure beauty, sweet fragrance and good adaptability. Not only stopping at a normal ornamental orchid, Phi diep orchid also has extremely high collection value, especially in the mutant 5-petal white Phi diep line when the value is up to tens of billions of VND.

In today's article, let's learn in detail about the origin, characteristics and how to properly care for Dendrobium orchid to conquer this beautiful and unique wild orchid species.

Origin & distribution of Dendrobium orchid

Dendrobium orchid is also known as Dendrobium orchid or Crane orchid.

Dendrobium anosmum orchid has the scientific name Dendrobium anosmum, is a wild orchid species originating from Southeast Asia, popular in some countries such as Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines,...

In Vietnam, Dendrobium orchids are known by many different names such as Dendrobium orchids, Dendrobium orchids, etc. They are concentrated in the northern mountainous provinces such as Hoa Binh, Son La, Lai Chau, Lao Cai and the Central Highlands.

In recent years, in our country, many mutant orchid lines have appeared thanks to natural selection or tissue culture. Some of them have very high collection value such as Phu Tho 5-petal white orchid, HO 5-petal white orchid, Bao Duy 5-petal white orchid,....

Classification of Dendrobium orchids

Currently, orchids are classified into many different species, depending on origin, color or flower face,... Here are some of the most common classification methods, let's find out now.

Classification by geographical origin

Vietnamese wild orchid with dreamy purple color.

Depending on the source of exploitation, Phi Diep orchids in each country will have their own characteristics in terms of shape, color and fragrance. Specifically as follows:

• Vietnamese wild orchid : Flowers are dark purple, thick petals, fragrant, the most popular variety
• Laotian Dendrobium : Thick stem, big tree, good adaptability but lighter color and not as fragrant as Vietnamese variety.
• Thai Dendrobium : Has a low price because it is a tissue cultured variety, easy to grow.
• Cambodian Dendrobium : Slender stem, pale flowers, not fragrant, not popular.

Classification by flower face

Close-up of scratched eye orchid

Based on the shape and color of the flower, Dendrobium orchids are divided into the following lines:

• Traditional purple orchid : The flower face is purple, the throat is dark purple, the eyes are clear, the petals are slightly curly and very fragrant.
• Scratched pink orchid/scratched eyes : The flower surface has pink streaks extending from the petals to the throat that look like scratches.
• Pearl pink/water pink orchid : Petals and throat are light pink or lotus pink, with a gentle, pleasant fragrance.
• Deer eye orchid : Flower eyes are round, clear, bright colors.
• White nose/pink nose orchid : The flower lip is pure white or pink.
• Yellow orchid : Yellow petals, brown tongue, slightly pungent smell.

Classification by gene mutation (Very valuable)

5-petal white Phu Tho orchid.

This is a line of orchids carefully selected from nature or tissue culture, with very high collection and trading value, even up to billions of dong for an orchid pot.

• Phu Tho 5-petal white orchid (5CT PT): The petals are pure white, the flower eyes are purple, the standard line of 5CT.
• 5-petal white orchid Hien Oanh (5CT HO): Round petals, slightly opaque eyes, light fragrance.
• Bao Duy 5-wing white orchid: Even, beautiful white petals, very popular with opaque eyes.
• Dendrobium Hong My Nhan, Hong Runner: An extremely rare mutant strain, the flowers are light pink, the petals are very beautiful.

Morphological and growth characteristics of Phi Diep orchid

Shape of stem, leaves and flowers of orchid.

Although Dendrobium orchids are divided into many different types, most of them have common characteristics in morphology and growth ability as follows:

Close :

• It is a multi-stemmed species, with drooping stems, 1 - 2 m long.
• Usually turquoise, yellowish green or light purple, depending on the strain.
• Has clear segments.

Leaves :

• Leaves are thin, soft, and grow symmetrically.
• Usually sheds leaves in winter to stimulate flowering in spring.

Roots :

• Air roots grow from the base of the tree and old joints.
• Usually grayish white in color, the root tip is green, and has good adhesion to the substrate.

Flower :

• Flowers grow from deciduous buds.
• Each node usually blooms 1 - 2 flowers, 5 - 8cm in diameter.
• Flowers come in many different colors, depending on the variety, and can have purple, pink, or white petals, hairy lip, and a dark purple eye in the middle.
• Flowers have a sweet scent and can spread their scent far and wide.

Growth characteristics :

• A dormant period in late fall - winter is required for the plant to flower.
• Each Dendrobium stem usually flowers only once, then is used as a mother stem to create new shoots or cut for propagation.
• Reproduction is sexual by seeds or asexual by division, tissue culture.

Instructions on how to grow Dendrobium orchids for beginners from A to Z

Instructions for planting and caring for Dendrobium orchids properly.

Right below is a detailed guide to growing Dendrobium orchids for beginners without much experience to help the orchid bloom beautifully, in season, let's learn more.

Choose the right orchid variety

Currently, there are many different lines and types of Dendrobium orchids, so to be able to take care of orchids well and most effectively, you need to choose the right variety for your experience and ability. Note the following:

• Undomesticated wild orchids: cheap but difficult to care for.
• Pure Dendrobium: Easy to grow, easy to adapt, slightly expensive.
• Kie - young shoots growing from the stem: cheap, popular, suitable for planting in small pots.

Note: No matter which type you choose, you should prioritize choosing a tree with a healthy trunk, no disease, fresh roots, and many dormant buds.

Prepare suitable substrate

Dendrobium orchids are not picky about growing media. You can grow them in many different growing media such as longan wood, star apple wood, driftwood, or in pots of soil + charcoal + coconut fiber, or even on concrete pillars.

Remember to treat the growing medium by soaking it in diluted lime water and drying it to kill mold before planting/grafting orchids.

Proper technique for planting/grafting Dendrobium orchids

You can grow Dendrobium orchids in pots or by grafting them onto wood/driftwood. Please note to follow the correct technique below.

Growing Dendrobium orchids on wood/driftwood :

• Fix the orchid base to the wood/driftwood with zip ties or wire.
• Place the stem slightly tilted to avoid water accumulation.
• Do not bury the dormant buds too deeply so that the tree can easily sprout new buds.

Growing Dendrobium in pots:

• Line the bottom of the pot with a layer of charcoal and pumice for good drainage.
• Cover with a layer of soft moss, fix the tree base on the substrate with sticks or zip ties.

Caring for Dendrobium Orchids in Each Stage

The stage when the orchid roots are developing.

Depending on the development stage of the orchid, you need different ways of care. Specifically as follows:

• New planting stage (first month) : Place in a cool place, only spray light mist around the roots, do not fertilize.
• Rooting stage : When young roots appear, water regularly and fertilize with B1 or NPK 30-10-10 to stimulate root and leaf growth.
• Leaf shedding - flowering stage : reduce watering, stop fertilizing, keep the plant in a cool, dry place to help flower buds differentiate.

How to cut water for orchid to bloom

Cutting water is a key factor in determining whether the orchid will flower or not. This is a rather difficult technique, so follow the instructions below to be successful.

Why cut off the water?

• Stimulate leaf shedding
• Create conditions for plants to rest in winter
• Flower bud differentiation.

Water cut time :

• North : Water cut off from late November to early December of the lunar calendar.
• Central and Southern regions : Water cuts will be implemented earlier.

Signs that the tree can be watered :

• Mature body, long, fat
• Stop growing new leaves

Standard water cutting steps :

• Preparation stage (7 - 10 days) : Water once every 3 days, then once a week, do not fertilize, move the orchid pot to a cool, airy place, avoid rain.
• Phase 2 (30 - 45 days) : Completely cut off water, do not spray mist, do not water the roots. If you see the leaves turn yellow and fall off, you have done it right. If the young leaves are also wilted, spray moisture once a week.
• Stage 3 (End of watering & flower stimulation) : When the tree has lost all its leaves, lightly water again, combine with spraying B1, Atonik, and diluted NPK 10-30-10 fertilizer to stimulate flower buds.

Signs that orchids are about to bloom

Below are some signs to help you recognize that your Dendrobium orchid is about to bloom so you can take proper care of it and not miss the flowering season.

• The dormant eye emerges from the flower spike : The dormant eye is rounder, light blue or slightly purple in color, after a few days a small white bud like a grain of rice appears - this is the young flower spike.
• The trunk loses all its leaves, becomes slightly shriveled and stiffer : The trunk no longer grows new leaves, the trunk turns yellow, shriveled, and is not shiny.
• Suitable time : South after Lunar New Year, North from February to April and after you cut off water for 30 - 45 days, the tree will sprout flowers.

Prevention and treatment of diseases for orchids

Here are some ways to prevent and treat common diseases in orchids, let's find out now.

• Dendrobium orchids have rotten leaves and leaf spots : Cut off the rotten stems and spotted leaves, and combine with fungicides such as Ridomil or Physan.
• Dendrobium orchids have rotten roots : Cut off damaged roots, change to a substrate with better drainage, and reduce watering.
• Dendrobium orchids have mealybugs : Spray Confidor periodically every 15-30 days.
• Dendrobium orchid with rotten tips : Cut off the rotten part, disinfect the cut with scar glue, quicklime, Physan 20 SL,... Then move the plant to a ventilated place with soft light, avoid rain and night dew.

Dendrobium orchid price list

Currently, in the ornamental plant market, Phi Diep orchids are sold at many different prices, depending on classification, quality, mutation line,... Please refer to the following price list for more information.

Questions and answers about orchids?

When to cut off water to make orchid bloom?

When you see the tip of the orchid is plump and round, you can reduce the amount of water. When you see the orchid losing ⅓ of its leaves on the stem and the roots are dry, you can completely cut off the water.

What month does the orchid bloom?

Depending on each type of orchid, they have different flowering times. Purple orchids bloom from April to August, yellow orchids bloom from September to November. White 5-petal orchids HO bloom in the summer from May to September....

Why does the orchid not bloom?

There are many reasons why the orchid has not bloomed, such as the plant is not old enough, or watering is not done properly, fertilizing incorrectly,...

Beautiful orchid pictures

Right below we have collected the most beautiful and unique images of Dendrobium orchids with many different colors and shapes. Invite everyone to admire to feel all the richness of this wild orchid species loved by orchid collectors.

Yellow orchid with bright, vibrant colors.

American flash pink orchid with unique color.

Purple orchid flowers with beautiful colors.

5-petal white orchid with expensive price.

Pink Dendrobium Orchid with super beautiful and rare light pink color.

Deer eye orchid flowers with deep, clear purple eyes.

Collection of beautiful and popular orchid species.

Dendrobium orchid with rounded leaves like jackfruit leaves.

Phi diep orchid is not only a beautiful wild orchid but it has become an endless passion of many orchid collectors in Vietnam. Hopefully the information that orchid-vn.com has shared above will be useful to everyone because whether you are a beginner in orchid growing or someone with many years of experience, understanding and mastering the techniques of planting & caring for Phi diep orchids is a must to be able to own the most beautiful and brilliant orchid pots.

Don't forget to visit our Blog section to discover more orchid varieties as well as effective orchid growing & care experiences.