# Dendrobium Nobile



## ElixirIce (Dec 12, 2006)

Hey everyone! I was wondering if I could dig up anyone more knowledgeable about denrobium nobiles than me (=ANYONE  ). I've had my 2 nobiles for about a year now. When I got them, they had buds on them which are now long gone. After the flowers left in about early/mid summer the plants started producing quite a few "babies". Even though I've heard that nobiles lose their leaves during the winter time, mine have lost most of their leaves and I'm freaking out because it looks so abnormal! Are the canes supposed to shrivel up and do the canes have any difference in color? I've also heard that you're not supposed to water them during winter to induce blooms? Fertilizer or no fertilizer? I dont know the names of the plants I have, and have no way of knowing their parentage to research if they do need a dry spell during winter or not. Help?  Thank you!


----------



## Jon in SW Ohio (Dec 13, 2006)

You should see two distinct patterns to nobile growth. Growing like crazy, and looking like a pot of sticks.

I am guessing that after blooming it shot out new growth everywhere and you watered it very often. At this time you pretty much cannot overwater them. If you don't water them enough, the leaves on the extending new growths will crinkle together and look like a braided knot on the end of the growing stem.

After the growth slows down to a stop, and the stems have swollen up after unfolding all their leaves, the leaves will start to yellow and drop off. The amount of leaves the plant sheds will depend on the cross, so are the flowers very round or open/star shaped? What color are they? I've got a nobile virginalis that decided long ago it is an evergreen, so even the species don't always follow the rules. 

Once the leaves start falling off, allow at least a week of drying between waterings. If you grew in a cold greenhouse, I wouldn't water, but if you're growing on a windowsill you will still want to water but must allow a complete dryout between waterings. If the stems are shriveling up, you need to water more. They will wither some compared to how plump they are while maturing, but they shouldn't get too dessicated. Once you start seeing new growth appear, go back to watering heavy and the cycle repeats.

Temperature needs will depend on the parentage. Some will not need a cold rest to bloom when new growth starts after the rest. Others will not bloom if kept warm during rest, and you will get a lot of keikis instead of blooms. To be safe, I'd keep the plant as cool as possible while it is resting. Even keeping it right up against the window in winter can give it that extra chill it needs.

While resting, no fertilizer will be needed. When growing you can fertilize it as often as you like, as it's hard to overfeed or underfeed them.

Jon


----------



## NYEric (Dec 14, 2006)

'..cool as possible..' Read "Walnut California"...


----------



## smartie2000 (Dec 17, 2006)

I don't want to be discouraging, but they are difficult to bloom for me...
I hope you have better luck, they are really beautiful


----------



## TADD (Dec 17, 2006)

Whats a dendrobium? oke:


----------



## likespaphs (Dec 17, 2006)

the only time i bloomed my nobile-type, i left it outside until the temp was just above freezing...


----------



## Shadow (Dec 17, 2006)

I have problems with it too. It is still outside near the freezing and doesn't want to bloom while all my friends' nobiles are in bloom now.


----------



## Marco (Dec 17, 2006)

TADD said:


> Whats a dendrobium? oke:




I think they're frogs


----------

