AboutOrchids

If you’re looking for a great beginner’s orchid beyond the typical Phal, this Australian Dendrobium species is popular in cultivation and easy to grow. It doesn’t have big showy flowers, but Dendrobium kingianum more than compensates with prolific blooms and a honey-sweet scent. Flowers can last for 2 months.

This Dendrobium can handle a wide range of temperatures, and can even survive a light freeze. Like many orchids, it does require a cool, dry winter rest or it won’t bloom. Its native home is on the eastern Australian coast around Brisbane, where its roots attach to rocks and cliff faces in exposed areas. Here in San Francisco, I keep mine outdoors all year long, where it enjoys bright light and foggy breezes. For winter, I move the plant into full sun, keep it dry, and only worry about protecting it from heavy winter rains.

There are numerous natural color varieties, and orchid growers have developed many color strains. Below are examples of pink, white, and purple forms. It’s often crossed with other Dendrobium species to create hardy and attractive hybrids, so there’s a wide range of choices to augment a growing orchid collection.

Explore posts in the same categories: Dormancy, Fragrant Orchids, Growing, Intermediate Growers, Orchids in the Wild, Photos

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 at 5:13 pm and is filed under Dormancy, Fragrant Orchids, Growing, Intermediate Growers, Orchids in the Wild, Photos.

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