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Monday, November 10, 2008

In Bloom: Dendrobium tetragonum v. giganteum

Dendrobium tetragonum var. giganteumIn the past year or so I've developed an obsession with dendrobium species that is gaining in momentum. Toward the beginning of this phase I purchased several seedlings of Dendrobium tetragonum var. giganteum. This is the first of them to bloom. The flowers are maybe 4-5 inches tall and vaguely fragrant, but not in a sweet and yummy way.

Dendrobium tetragonum var. giganteum

The plants are about 8 inches long - semi pendant in a pot. Possibly their coolest feature is the square pseudobulbs. The flowers are neat too.

I grow this species along with Phalaenopsis plants in small pots with a mix that is essentially the same as my paph mix. It would also be an appropriate choice for mounted culture since the canes want to grow in a pendant fashion.

Several dendrobium species and hybrids with thinner leaves seem susceptible to mites, so keep an eye out for the little buggers. I actually believe that mites come as a result of having African Violets around, as my infestations always seem to begin in the areas where I'm keeping AV's. So I now suggest preventative spraying of the violets to avoid mites.

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