Canaculatum Dendrobium - 1 step up from common and easy

[jerrymeola]

Dendrobiums are a good beginners orchid. They are very forgiving of bad care (not recommended) and flower easily.

The big box stores sell mostly Den-Phal hybrids because the flowers are larger and last about 12 weeks.

Their disadvantage is that they flower once a year and get quite tall with a tendency to fall over.

Now on to Canaliculatum types. They also are easy to grow with a number of characteristics to recommend themselves.

1. Easy to grow.

2. Smaller in height (Den Ooh's Blue flowers at only 5 inches high. Most flower profusely on plants 8-14 inches in height.

3. They have a very strong tendency to produce multiple flower spikes on the same cane repeating for several years. Den Ooh's Blue produced 3 flower stems and 40 flowers on a plant of only one 3 inch cane and one 5 inch cane

4. Flowering season can extend up to 8 months. Denbrobium C.K.Ai x Canaliculatum blooms from June to September for me. My old large plant produces 15-25 flower stems a year with 20-30 flowers per stem.

5. They can have great variety in shapes and colors. Den Antennatum for example.

6. And they are normally no more expensive then common types.