Latouria dendrobiums are prolific flowering plants.  They come in a variety of colors with long lasting flowers and can have dots, stripes, and bars.  Most bloom for months and are a good beginner’s plant.  Their original home is in the area of New Guinea, Samoa, and the Phillippines.

These dendrobiums grow in a wide range of conditions and will tolerate warm, cool, wet and/or dry conditions.  They will thrive from sea level up to at least 2300 feet where we are located on the slopes of Mauna Loa, and higher.   Latourias become specimen-sized plants with little effort on your part.  They prefer bright, indirect or filtered sunlight.  Most can be watered all year round with slightly less water in winter or when not in active growth.

You will need to re-pot your plant after it finishes flowering or when the plant seems to be crowding the edges of the pot.  Use a clean pot one size larger and a medium-sized orchid mix.  Do not over pot.  The use of clay pots will anchor the top-heavy plants better than plastic ones.  Enjoy!!!

For questions, please use the email address below:

Pele’s Island Plants   P.O. Box 6767 Ocean View, Hi  96737   808-939-9282

Phoeniciaz@Gmail.com

FORMOSAE DENDROBIUMS

also called

Nigrohirsutae Dendrobiums

This section of Dendrobiums comes from India, S.E. Asia, Indonesia, Borneo, Thailand, and Indochina.  The flowers are long lasting and often scented.  Black hairs are evident on the canes  of the plants and give a distinctive appearance.  These orchids  thrive in high light conditions and want to be watered regularly during the warmer months when they are growing and maturing new canes.  When the canes are fully developed, the water can be less frequent, almost drying out between waterings.  Cooling off in the Fall and Winter will promote better flowering.

When re-potting, choose a pot only slightly larger than what would be required to fit in the good roots.  Use  large bark and if it grows into a large pot, place some styrofoam peanuts in the bottom of the pot. One can mount them on plaques,  if you can water it sufficiently during the growing season.  Having good drainage is the most important trick for successful growing along with strong light.

Feed this plant with orchid food during the growing season and use less the rest of the year.  Remember to flush out the pot with clear water at least once every few weeks to avoid salt build up.  When the plant is mature, there will be many flowers or bunches of flowers on the canes, lasting for months.

Feel free to email me with questions at the address below.

Aloha,

Phoenicia Zeller
Phoeniciaz@Gmail.com

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