Dendrobium spike

[brianb]

When my Dens. stop flowering I cut the dead spike well back. At a commercial garden recently they told me not to do that but let it be, as it might again flower. What is the real answer.

B

[Phalkiller]

Good day!

If the flower spike turns brown and dry up its fine to cut that piece off but not the cane the flowers had come from. In my experience these old canes has flowered for me again. The cane will look shrivelled in time and might loose its leaves but, it will have stored energy to help the plant grow better and they may form keiki's (baby plants). I believe its the cane that the commercial gardeners are refering to. So its not a good idea to cut the cane. If you are going to cut anything that is still green, make sure you sterilze it, you can use a sharp knife or scissors and heat these up with a blow tourch or some kind of flame. Using rubbing alcohol on it first will help the flame go all over your cutting utinsel. After cutting sprinkle come cinnimon powder on the cut to further prevent any pathogens. Cinnimon powder can be found in the spice aisle of any grocery store.

[koshki]

Brian, what kind of dendrobiums are they?

[ChryssM]

The Phalkiller is right. I never cut off any spike until it turns brown and dries up. I also have never seen a Dendrobium rebloom on an old spike. Old leaved and leafless canes continue to bloom and rebloom many times until they turn brown and dry up.
.

[brianb]

Phalkiller,Chryss,

No no I was not referring to cutting off the plants old canes. My reference was to the advice of leaving the Spike alone after the flowers had all dropped. Thanks for the helpful advice.

Koshki,

They are Dendrobium Antennatums.

Brian

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by brianb

They are Dendrobium Antennatums.

Dendrobium antenatum is a species so note the capitalization. When the spikes are done, they're done and won't re-flower but before you cut, let's make sure we're clear on our terms. The person at the garden center might have been referring to the cane, not the spike. The cane grows from the base of the plant and also holds the leaves. The leaves may eventually fall off but even if they do leave the cane alone unless it dies, turns brown and dries up. The spike grows off the cane and is the stem that holds the flowers.

Do not cut the cane off because the cane will produce more spikes year after year. Do cut the spent spike off as it will not grow any more flowers.

[brianb]

Yes, we are talking the same language. I know enough that I would not cut a cane. The commercial grower was talking about a spike that had lost it's flowers and that I should not cut it off as it may flower again. There were three other large spikes in full bloom.

B

[terra_australis]

I have never noticed that leaving old spikes will make a Dendrobium produce more and I have certainly never seen one re-bloom on the same spike. I don't cut the old spikes off until they are well and truly dried up but this is more for disease prevention... ie. I avoid cutting live tissue.