Den Help!

[NewGrower]

Hello everyone! I recently got a few orchid from a friend of mind and 2 of them are Dens.... They are my first 2 and only Dens so I was hoping someone could help me! I know there are several types of Dens so I am hoping someone can help me identify them (I heard some types need a rest period and some dont... thats mainly what I am hoping to find out, along with how much sun/water)

I trimmed up all the old/dead roots and repotted them in lava rock a few days ago... there seems to be no big changes yet so I am keeping my fingers crossed they will make it through the move to my house




When I first got them the bigger one was in wet moss IN soil! Yes... yuck! The other one was in moldy old bark and charcoal. So I had my work cut out for me getting them all cleaned up!

Thanks everyone!

[NewGrower]

By the way the pictures are AFTER I soaked them the first time but BEFORE I cut away all the dead stuff!

[dounoharm]

they look like phal dendrobiums or hard cane dendrobiums...they do not need a rest....i grow mine in strong light like cattleyas, even more sun....water/fert when dry...gl

[syndywindy]

I agree, phal type dens. I don't give mine a rest period as far as watering goes. I do try to give them as much light in winter as they get in summer which for mine is high cattleya type light.

[digitalgate]

ID dendrobium is nearly impossible, considering that are so many type look very similiar. Only the person who gave you that plant ,can tell you.
Hmmm one of the plant look like cattleya than dendrobium.

[NewGrower]

It looks washed out because of the flash but they two plants look a lot alike except the one is bigger with more growths....
Thanks guys, thats what I was looking for

[NewGrower]

I have them in lava rock... I have been misting every morning and then every week I am soaking them and plan to give them fert. in the misting every week (weakly!)

[orchids4me]

Hi,
I have mine potted in mix of medium and fine bark with perlite and charcoal. Ilet them dry between waterings and fert weekly weekly during the growth spurts and less in the winter but no winter rest from watering.
They require high light like cattleyas. Also they light tight shoes so to speak so root bound almost keeps them very happy over potted they most likely will not bloom again until are about or are root bound in the pot.
Good luck !
Emmaye

[NewGrower]

Thank you! They havent died yet so hopefully thats a good sign :-X

[Orchidementia]

Originally Posted by digitalgate

ID dendrobium is nearly impossible, considering that are so many type look very similiar. Only the person who gave you that plant ,can tell you.
Hmmm one of the plant look like cattleya than dendrobium.

I agree with Digitalgate (which is a safe bet when it comes to dendrobiums - or anything else). Orchids from the Dendrobium, Latouria and Phalaenanthe sections can all resemble the plants in your photos, and all require different culture. Find out what you have from where they came from and then we can be more help (well, Digitalgate can - I'm good with cool-growing Calcarifera, Oxyglossum and Pedilonum section dendros! )

[NewGrower]

Well the person I got it from knows nothing about orchids and got is as a gift so I cant really find anymore information about it! The only thing that is different about it compared to the bigger one is the fact that the top spikes have been cut off (and what is remaining looks like it died after flowering) and the bigger Den does not have this type of thing on the top of it.... Its almost similar to the way my Catt looks (as far as how its flowers/spikes)