Akatsuki N. Dendrobium -- Help! What is it??

[butt0n]

I am such an idiot when it comes to dendrobiums that I finally got some good advise here some time back. I put my den outside to encourage it to bloom, but with not many changes. Recently, I noticed a new shoot coming out from the bottom of one cane. Today, I just saw a little nub on the oldest cane. What is it??? I'm excited since I'm not really sure what it is...LOL...






This what it used to look like:

[fred]

hmmm nice pics oh sorry back to your question.
That little knob is most likly a Kiki. ( a baby ) I have also seen flower spikes start like that as well.
I think when that gets a little bigger you will have a better idea as to what it is.
If its a kiki it will grow for you and through new shoots.

Dens produce new growths in two ways they form kiki,s and new groath down at the base of the plant as shown in your pic.

[butt0n]

Ok, so the little tiny nob may be keiki and not a possible flower? After looking at it some more, I found another small nub, on the lower alternate section. What about the shoot at the bottom?

[fred]

I was editing my post when i finished I saw your reply.
sorry about that.
I forgot to say it could also be a flower spike.
I hope it is for you.

[arleneg]

button,

The old canes are not dead, just lost their leaves. That knob might be a flower spike in the making. If you read Kevin's and Jerry's posts from Nobile Dendrobium Himezakura thread, you'll see that nobiles produce flowers on the old cane which just lost its leaves.

Plus, looking at your pics, the canes are still green and firm. As long as they're that way, they're not dead.

[fred]

yes I agree to that most helpful arleneg

My opinion on the bottom---thats its a new groath.

[butt0n]

Awesome! I was getting so frustrated with it I was thinking about tossing it. Dumb thought on my part. I was skimming that other thread, and you can see I was already complaining about mine. Then I looked at it and saw all of this. I'm hoping for the best. Thanks for your help Fred and Arlene!

Almost forgot, what should I do or keep doing to make it happy? I'm not fertilizing it, I put it back inside a few weeks ago and haven't taken it outside at night. Do I leave it inside?

[kmarch]

Dear button,

You recognized the new shoot at the bottom as just that, a now shoot from which will grow a nice new cane. It will grow and mature over the course of your spring-summer. As indicated in the thread arleneg refered to above, you'll want to water regularly now that it is growing. If you insist, you could give a weak, balanced fertilizer too, but stop fertilizing in late summer.

Regarding the "bumps": One of the joys/frustrations of this type of Dendrobium, which we call a nobile-type (because they are hybridized using species found in the same section of Dendrobium as Den. nobile), is that for a while, when these bumps are starting out, you simply can't tell if they are buds or kekis. Your only recourse is to be patient and watch them to see what they do. Having said that, I will offer an educated guess as to what they are. These plants (like many orchids) grow and bloom through a distinct annual cycle. Since it is spring for you, the time when nobile-type Dens grow new growths (they bloom in the winter), my guess is that they will turn out to be kekis.

Keep us posted and take a look at the other thread arleneg mentioned as it contains cultural info on this type of Den. In my humble opinion these are wonderful, wonderful orchids. Their spectacular flowers can make stunning displays.

Happy Growing!

[fred]

with the way your plant looks I would not change to much.
A very healthy plant indeed

[butt0n]

Thanks again for all of the advise. I believe I actually bought this den last May, and it was in flower. The flowers lasted pretty long too. I'll just hope for the best and keep everyone posted!

[jerrymeola]

buttOn

Your plant is young but looks old enough to have flowered this year.

The main cause of non-flowering in Nobile dens (yours is the same Yamamoto Den that is pictured in the other thread Nobile Denbrobium Himezakura ) is too much Nitrogen fertilizer.

You should not fertilize the plant at all after August, you should never use high nitrogen 30-10-10 fertilizers and never slow release fertilizers.

Also the plant needs under 50 degree nights for about a month to set flowers, but growing outside in Calif this should come naturally. By the way Nobile dens can take temperatures 32-100 degrees and will do best in full California sun, although I have flowered them in lower light.

[jerrymeola]

Looking closer at your photos

The first photo looks like a flower bud. Buds start exactly opposite a fallen leaf on a bare cane. They can sometimes turn out to be keiki, but this one looks like a bud. It is not right to call this a flower stem since there is no stem on Nobile just flowers directly from the cane.

The second photo is the normal growing pattern of a Nobile. This is new growth that will be the basis of next years flowers. It will reach the height of the tallest cane very quickly.

Never cut the old bare cane. It will flower better next year. If the cane is no longer good it will shrivel up to 1/3 its size and fall over. Only then should you cut it off.

[butt0n]

Jerry:
I followed the advise you gave me a few months back about putting it outside and no fertilizer. I guess it did it some good! Thanks for that as well as the additional information.

[butt0n]

So here's the latest picture. I'm still not sure what it is....

[fred]

I think thats a kiki see the new roots coming

very nice pic

[butt0n]

Originally Posted by fred

I think thats a kiki see the new roots coming

I took a closer look at it and didn't see any roots. The things that look like roots were part of a dried up leaf. Oh, well...I tried. At least it did something! I'm sure the real roots will grow soon.

[fred]

I zoomed right in on that yes you are right.

sorry about that