Dendrobium Leaves Turning Yellow

[lmgarret]

I am a first time orchid owner......I have lots of questions :-). I received two dendrobium orchids for Christmas this year and I'm a bit concerned about their health. On my largest orchid the leaves closest to the pot are turning yellow (3 leaves to be exact). I'm not sure if it's because of the lighting or my watering method. I do not think I have been watering the orchids enough in fear that I'll make them worse, but is it possible that not enough watering will make the leaves turn yellow? I have not repotted the plants since receiving them and they are contained in a pot with moss at the top. Should I repot with bark? Also, as far as lighting goes, my orchids are in my kitchen bay window which receives west and east sun.....so the orchids have morning direct light and then afternoon indirect light. Is the lighting too much? Any suggestions are very much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Dendrobiums should be kept on the dry side when not growing or blooming. Losing some leaves this time of years is normal. Lighting sounds good for this time of year. When the weather warms up, you may have to worry about sun burn. Keep reading these threads and you will be ready by the time the weather warms.

It would help to know what type of Dendrobiums you have. The two common ones sold are the nobile type, and the phalaenopsis type (not to be confused with real Phalaenopsis plants, just a similar shaped flower gave one Den species this name). Phal types are most common, are warmish growing all year, have leathery leaves, and flowers come out the top of the plant in a longish spray. Nobiles need to be cool and very dry in winter, have floppy leaves, and generally have flowerts spread out up and down the cane.

Both types need lots of water while growing, and need to dry well while not growing or blooming. The nobiles may not bloom if not severely dried off during winter. There is a thread on this going on right now.

[lmgarret]

Hi Cynthia,

Thank you so much for your help. The type of dendrobiums I have are phals and they are both still flowering. Since you mentioned above that phals need plenty of water while blooming I will continue to water. My current watering method is to mist the orchids in the morning and about once a week I soak the roots and moss in the sink and then let the roots dry out again. From the other threads I read that orchids do not like their feet wet and so I try to make sure they dry out between waterings. Is this watering method okay or do you know of a better watering method. Any advice is very much appreciated and thank for you help and for such a quick response :-)
Lynnette

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

When they are in growth or blooming, I would treat them like Phalaenopsis orchids and not let them get hard dry. If you feel the mix, it can be still a little cool from the moisture when you water, but not wet.

[lizhenjian]

Dendrobium like dry、light.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Wet feet means 'wet'. Damp, the kind of damp you want for Phals and Paphs, and Dens during the growing season, at watering time would be like if I had this damp mix or a garden soil that was this kind of damp in my hand, it would feel cool in my hand, but would not stick to my hand. Wet mix or garden soil would stick to my hand. Cattleyas and Dens during the non-growing seaon would have a mix that is dry at watering time and feel warm in my hand.

[lmgarret]

I think my phals are going to make it....wheww! Thank you very much for your help!
Lynnette

[Regina]

Hi. . . I've owned orchids in the past, but, sadly, have never been successful with them, so, though I'm very smitten with orchids, I decided not to bring any more into my life. That said, I'm having a simmilar 'leaves turning yellow' problem with a Nobile Dendrobium that someone bought for me as a gift very recently (four days ago)--though it did have one yellow leaf when it came to me. I've been advised to keep the plant moist while flowering and to keep it in bright, indirect sunlight---I've been vigilant (I think), but the leaves are turning anyway. Any help from someone more knowledgeable than I am would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

leaf loss in Dendrobiums is normal this time of year. Each year a Den will add a new cane, and each year an older cane will loose its leaves, plus a few lower leaves may be lost.

Moist is a word that can be misinterpreted. Don't let it dry out while blooming, but it should be only slightly damp when you water again, not wet. This is important. Don't water if still 'wet'.

[Regina]

Thanks for the information. . . it is the blooming cane that's losing its leaves and not the others, and there are two new, smaller canes present. I will use a skewer to make sure the plant isn't too wet when I water. Thanks again; I'm relieved.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

It wouldn't hurt to post a picture of your plant just to be sure. If the leaf loss pattern doesn't look normal, we will let you know.

I don't know where you live, but here in New Jersey "bright, indirect light" wouldn't cut it for a dendrobium. They need all the sunlight you can give them, especially in the dead of winter when the days are so short.

[Regina]

Attached is a photo of my Dendrobium (for safetys sake).

The leaves have already fallen off, but I've marked the places-of-loss with three black lines. There are small, still-closed buds (I think) forming above two of the places on the cane where the leaves yellowed and fell. There has been no loss of leaves at the base---they've all been higher on the cane amidst the blooms. Thanks .

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Well, the more recent leaves look healthy. This appears to be last years growth that is blooming, a common practice for nobiles, and nobiles often don't hold leaves very long, so for the moment, lets figure it is probably normal leaf loss. The color of the leaves makes me think that this plant could use just a little more light, but if you have not had this plant long enough to be the source of the color, don't worry about it.

[jerrymeola]

I raise and sell Nobile Dens.

You have a Nobile Dendrobium which is probably grown by Yamamoto in Hawaii. I deal with hundreds of his and they have certain characteristics not seen in common Nobile.

Nobles lose all their leaves every year and flower best on bare canes. Yamamoto has developed many strains (they are patented) that flower on canes with leaves. This is why I Say that you have a Yamamoto from your photo. He also has shorter thicker canes than common. His usually stay under 20 inches while others can grow straggly to 3 or more feet.

you plant is probably Sea Mary or Apollo.

Yellowing leaves are normal growth all will die and fall off. Water and fertilize heavily when they are growing, March to August and stop all fertilizer after August or they will not flower. Watering can also be reduced but I do not recommend stopping watering.

I just realized I do not have photos of the white dens. I will have to photograph them today.

But these two Yamamoto Dens show how they are shorter thicker canes (very thin at the bottom) and flower from canes with leaves.






these two Dens are more normal and flower from the leafless canes and grow scraggly (but pretty) The first is Den Second Love

[Regina]

Thanks Jerry!

Just to be clear. . . it's safe to assume, with the Yamamoto Dendrobiums, if the leaf-loss is restricted to canes that flowered this season, that the leaf loss is normal? These Dens lose their leaves after flower as opposed to before, as with other Dendrobiums?

Also, a totally unrelated question . . . I bought an intergeneric orchid with oxblood-to-black flowers. Do you have any advice as to it's care? It seems to be doing well set to the side of a west facing window (bright, mostly indiect light, but the light will be more filtered this summer when my maples leaf-up).

Thanks for the help .

[Marih]

Hi everyone, I have the same problem with my leaves turning yellow and the fall off but mine is not in a pot but growing on a piece of log. I'm not sure how to water it - should i water it more than usual? And it's not flowering at all. I'm pretty new at this but have orchids for +- 4yrs now and in all this time none has flowered but they are growing. Am i doing anything wrong? Please advice.

[articuno75]

Hi Marih and welcome to the forum! You say not a single plant has rebloomed for you? Reblooming depends on your light and watering conditions. What kind of orchids do you have? We have an introductions thread here on the forum. I know that a lot of people would love to meet you and hear what kind of orchids you have. Also if you could update your location, this will be a big help as different areas provide different advice.

[Marih]

Hi, thank you for replying so quick. I have a Den Nobile, 3 Den Kingianiums and a butterfly orchid ( not sure what it's called - Phalyni something or another) I also had a stunning Miltitonia hybrid but it died. Cats threw it out. Orchids is not the only plant that i have that's not flowering. Weird. Thanks for your advice in advance.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Marih

Hi, thank you for replying so quick. I have a Den Nobile, 3 Den Kingianiums and a butterfly orchid ( not sure what it's called - Phalyni something or another)

With orchid names, nobile and kingianum are nto capitalized because they are species (they are found in the wild). Capitals indicate hybrids.

I dont' know of anorchid that is commonly called "Butterfly Orchid". Phalaenopsis are commonly called "Moth Orchids". I think your "Phalyni" is probably a Phalaenopsis (phal).

Originally Posted by Marih