Pink Dendrobium Orchid - A to Z guide to planting and caring

Aerides crassifolium is a rare wild orchid, standing out with its gentle purple-pink color and light fragrance, but has a quite high price.

The Pink Dendrobium Orchid is probably a very familiar name to those who love the Aerides orchid, right? This is one of the rare wild orchids with elegant beauty, sweet pink color and light fragrance - and has been actively sought after by orchid enthusiasts.

In today's article, let's explore in detail the origin, morphological characteristics as well as the care guide for the pink orchid to help you understand why this orchid is so popular.

Origin & distribution of pink orchid

A pot of rosewood with graceful beauty.

Aerides crassifolium, also known as Aerides crassifolium, is a native orchid with a narrow distribution range in some mountainous areas in Vietnam, common in the following regions:

• Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak
• Quang Nam, Thua Thien Hue

The pink-swallow orchid was first scientifically described in 1988 by botanist Gunnar Seidenfaden. The name “crassifolium” in Latin means “thick-leafed”, which accurately describes the characteristic properties of this orchid species with extremely thick leaves.

Currently, the pink orchid is considered a precious wild orchid species and is increasingly rare in nature due to overexploitation.

Morphological characteristics of the pink orchid

Shape of flowers, roots, stems and leaves of pink orchid

Let's learn about the morphological characteristics of the pink orchid to see if they are outstanding and different from other orchid species.

Close :

• It is a single-stem orchid with no pseudobulbs.
• The stem is upright, grows straight, and usually oriented towards the light.
• The stem is 30 - 60 cm tall, can be longer if well cared for and has a long life span.
• Round stem, covered with leaf sheaths

Leaves :

• Leaves are very thick, 15 - 25 cm long, 1.5 - 3 cm wide
• Leaves are dark green, glossy, sometimes with purple tinge on the edges.
• The leaves are hard, thick, grow alternately on both sides of the stem, and are slightly curved towards both sides.
• Each mature orchid plant usually has 6 - 10 leaves.

Roots :

• Large aerial roots, silvery white in color, root tips are light green or purple-green.
• Roots grow around the base or along the stem

Flower :

• The flower spike usually grows from the leaf axils, curves downwards, is 15 - 25 cm long, and has about 15 - 30 small flowers.
• Small flowers with a diameter of only 1.5 - 2 cm, arranged alternately to form a very beautiful chain
• The petals are deep pink, round, slightly shiny, the throat has pink spots, the lip is purple-pink, curved upwards.
• The flower has a gentle, faint fragrance, not too strong like many other species of sandalwood.
• Pink Swallow Rose usually blooms in late spring - early summer (April - June), each flower cluster will last from 10 - 15 days.

Guide to planting and caring for the pink Dendrobium orchid to bloom on time

Instructions for planting and caring for the orchid Hong Nhan to bloom on time.

If you want to own the most beautiful and brilliant pots of pink orchid, don't miss the detailed guide to growing and caring for this orchid species shared below.

Selecting and processing the rosewood variety

If you choose a good seedling, it will help the orchid to be healthy, easy to domesticate and take root soon. Here are some suggestions to choose the most satisfactory seedling.

• Priority is given to purebred seedlings or healthy tissue culture lines.
• Choose plants with sturdy, uncrushed stems, thick, dark green leaves, no pests or diseases, strong roots, and no breaks.
• Prioritize plants with new shoots or signs of budding.

After choosing the right seedlings, you need to pre-treat the seedlings to limit fungal diseases. This can be done by following some basic steps:

• Cut off damaged roots, rotten roots, or soft, black root tips.
• Soak the plant in Physan 20 solution (1ml/1 liter of water) for about 15 minutes to prevent fungus.
• Continue to soak the base and roots of the tree in B1 + Atonik solution for about 20 minutes to stimulate the roots.
• Then take the seedlings out and leave them in a cool place for about 1-2 days to dry completely before planting.

Choose the right substrate for the orchid

The pink orchid is a single-stem orchid that prefers airy roots, so when choosing a substrate, you should prioritize choosing types that are airy, well-drained, retain moisture relatively well, are durable, and are less likely to decompose. And note that the substrate needs to be carefully treated to avoid spreading fungi and bacteria to the orchid.

Suggestions for optimal growing medium and how to handle it :

• Charcoal, pine bark: Soak in lime water, Physan solution for 15 - 30 minutes, wash, dry.
• Coconut fiber: Soak in lime water for about 1 week, change water every day then dry completely.
• Driftwood, coconut fiber board: Soak in lime water or water with Physan solution, then let dry for 1 - 2 days.

Techniques for planting and grafting pink orchid

Right below we will give detailed instructions on the technique of planting/grafting pink orchids to help the plant quickly take root and grow well. Don't miss it, it's guaranteed to be simple but very effective.

The right time to plant orchids :

• Late winter - early spring (January - March) because at this time the weather is warm and humidity is high, which will help the plant take root and sprout soon.
• Should not be planted during the rainy season or when the weather is too dry.

How to grow orchids in pots :

• Place a layer of charcoal and light rocks at the bottom of the pot.
• Place the plant in the pot so that the roots spread out naturally.
• Cover the growing medium around the base, do not compact or fill up the trunk.
• Fix the orchid root with a support stick
• Place the newly planted orchid pot in a cool, airy place.

How to graft orchids :

• Place the orchid root on the substrate so that the roots stick close to the substrate.
• Fixed with nylon cord, drawstring
• Add some moss to the base to help retain moisture.
• Hang the newly grafted orchid pot high up in a cool, airy place with light diffused light.

How to care for the pink orchid to bloom in season

Please refer to the content shared below if you want your pink orchid pot to bloom brilliantly in the right season.

Understand the growth cycle of orchids :

• Resting period: October - December, leaves stop growing, preparing for flower bud differentiation.
• Flowering stage: January - March
• Flowering period: April - June

Conditions to help orchids bloom on time :

• Provide enough light: About 60 - 70% light, with light sunlight in the early morning
• Cool temperature: Optimal temperature is from 16 - 25 degrees Celsius, the cooler it is, the easier it will be for the plant to flower.
• Proper water regulation: reduce watering from November to January to stimulate flower bud differentiation

Fertilizer to stimulate flowers :

• September - October : Fertilize with diluted NPK 20-20-20 + B1/Atonik
• November - December : Fertilize with diluted NPK 10-30-20, 6-30-30
• January - March : Stop fertilizing with nitrogen, switch to fertilizer with high potassium content combined with B1
• After April : Do not fertilize, just water to maintain moisture.

Price of pink orchid

The rosewood orchid is one of the endemic wild orchids with a limited distribution range, so it is sold at a very high price, ranging from several million VND. You can refer to some of the prices we have compiled below to get more accurate information.

• Tissue-cultured, pure potted rosewood: 1,300,000 - 3,000,000 VND/pot
• Purebred F1 rosewood with 3 - 5 leaves: 2,000,000 - 4,000,000 VND/pot
• Beautiful pink rosewood, with buds and flowers: 4,000,000 - 8,000,000 VND/pot

Questions and answers about the pink orchid

Is the pink orchid easy to grow?

This orchid is not easy to grow but not too difficult either, however you just need to master some basic techniques such as cool climate, light humidity, diffused light, proper watering, and regular fertilization.

Is it allowed to exploit the wild orchid?

No, this orchid species is listed as “Prohibited from exploitation from natural forests” under CITES regulations. Currently, the number of plants sold on the market will be tissue culture or perennial pure potted plants.

Is the pink orchid fragrant?

Yes, the orchid has a pleasant, slightly sweet scent and is not too strong like many other orchid species.

Beautiful pink orchid pictures

Please admire the series of super beautiful pink orchid images shared below to better visualize the graceful and charming beauty of this special orchid species.

The thick-leafed rosewood flowers are blooming in the night.

Close-up of small, cute pink orchid flowers.

A pink orchid root is grafted onto a wooden board.

A pot of pink orchid with strong root development.

A branch of pink orchid is blooming.

Thus, through the article on orchid-vn.com, we have shared all the information about the pink swallow orchid - an orchid with sweet colors, elegant beauty and pleasant fragrance, imbued with the Vietnamese mountains and forests. If you like to collect orchids that are both beautiful, fragrant and valuable, the pink swallow orchid will be a good suggestion.

Goodbye and see you soon in the next articles of the Blog section to discover more beautiful and rare orchid species.