# dendrobium nobile species varities



## Hien (May 13, 2011)

I searched the internet recently and found this from the standard cyclopedia of horticulture. I didn't realize that dendrobium nobile species has so many varieties. This is what the standard says:

nobile, Lindl. Fig. 1236. Pseudobulbs up to 2 ft. long, erect or nearly so, tufted, nearly round: fls. in 2's or 3's, 2-1/2-3 in. across; sepals and petal white, the upper portion, varying in extent, amethyst-purple, the sepals ligulate, the petals broader, oblong-oval, wavy-margined; lip with a broad nearly orbicular blade, downy, a large rich maroon spot in the center, inclosed by a cream-white zone, the apex amethyst-purple. Himalayas to China. P.M.7:7. C.O.1. O.R.5:209; 9:73. G.M. 47:425. J.H. III. 48:511. 
1-Var. albiflorum, Hort. Fls. white, with a black-purple spot on the lip. O.R. 2:113;9:73
2-Var. album, Hort. Fls pure white.
3-Var. Amesiae, Hort. Similar to the preceding, but fls. larger.
4-Var. Armstrongiae, Hort. Sepals and petals pure white, of great size; lip very dark maroon-purple.
5-Var. Ashworthianum, Hort. Fls. pur white, except the green mouth of the lip.
6-Var. Ballianum, O'Brien. Sepals and petals white; lip yellowish white or white with 2 crimson spots. C.O.1b.
7-Var. Coerulescens, reichb. (D. coerulescens, Lindl.). Shorter and more slender pseudobulbs: fls. smaller and of a deeper color, and the the lip-blade more oval.
8-Var. Colmanianum, Hort. A large, pure white variety with a sulphur-yellow disk to the lip.
9-Var. Cooksonianum, Reichb. f. Petals concave, aproaching the lip in form, erect, with alarge basal maroon blotch. C.O. 1a. O.R. 2:113; 9:73.
10-Var. elegans, Hort. Fls. larger and more symmetrical; petals broader, the base white; a pale sulphur-yellow zone inclosing the maroon spot on lip, which has a rose-purple apex.
11-Var. formosanum, Reichb. f. Pseudobulbs somewhat longer, pendulous: fls. with longer pedicels, the tips of the petals and lip only purple, the mouth and mentum green.
12-Var. jaspidium, Hort. Fls. very showy; apex of segms. red variegated with purple.
13-Var. murrhiniacum, Hort. Like var. ballianum, but finer: sepals and petals slightly tinged violet; disk rich violet, finely veined with rose-violet.
14-Var. nobilius, Reichb. f. Fls. larger, the sepals and petals, except at the base, deep purple; lip large, rose-tipped, deep purple in the mouth. C.O. 1c. G.M. 46:193. O.R. 2:113; 9:73.
15-Var. Owenianum, Hort. Var. Rajah, Hort. Like var. albiflorum, but the sepals and petals broader and flushed with delicate pink.
16-Var. Rothwellianum, Hort. Var. Sanderianum, Reichb. f. Resembles var. nobilius but fls. smaller, the color more intense, the sepals and petals broader, the lip with a large black purple spot, the surrounding white zone larger. R.58. O.R. 2:113; 9:73
17-Var. Schneiderianum, Reichb. f. Lip suffused with yellow, and with a deep purple spot.
18-Var. Schroederianum, Hort. Larger fls. with broader segms., the sepals and petals white, sometimes tipped with amethyst; lip with an almost black spot, bordered with pale yellow, passing into white.
19-Var. Summitense, Hort. Var. Tollianum, Reichb. f. Pedicels twisted, the fls. therefore appearing inverted; fls. not fully opening.
20-Var. virginale, Hort. Fls. pure white, exept a pale primrose tinge on the lip. G.C. III 35:357. G.M. 52:394 O.R. 5:145; 8:121.

-What are those letter & number at the end of the listing?

-So far I notice that all vendors have nobile species do not mention any variety name. Only Santa Barbara has virginalis, Cloud orchids has cooksonianum.
Does anyone know where to get other varieties?


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## ByeBye (Mar 25, 2016)

Funny you did not get any replies as this is a lovely, although a large species. I love this species, specially because it is very cold tolerant and can stay out (sheltered) almost all year.
In my collection so far I have 4 different varieties.
2 of them already flowered this year;


*D. nobile var. cooksonianum*























*D. nobile var. ashworthianum* (was bought as D. nobile var. album)


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## Hien (Mar 25, 2016)

I also got a dendrobium nobile var. cooksonianum from Andy orchids, the fragrant of var cooksonianum is many time stronger than a plain nobile


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## ByeBye (Mar 25, 2016)

Hien said:


> I also got a dendrobium nobile var. cooksonianum from Andy orchids, the fragrant of var cooksonianum is many time stronger than a plain nobile



I agree, but only when in a warm, sunny and airy position.
The D. nobile var. ashworthianum has only a faint fragrance.


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## Ozpaph (Mar 26, 2016)

I'd like to see pictures of these.


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## Stone (Mar 28, 2016)

I got ballianum recently but the best I've seen are out of China. Really good colour.
Most of those varieties were named in the 19th century and most are probably out of India and probably extinct now.


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## Lanmark (Mar 29, 2016)

I'm rather fond of this species. I will never forget the awe I felt when I first encountered a mass of these plants being sold along the roadside in Florida over 30 years ago. Their beauty and fragrance was astounding, but I purchased an easier-to-grow striped Phalaenopsis. I've never grown a D. nobile.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Mar 29, 2016)

Awesome. I need to get more of these for the garden.


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## Happypaphy7 (Apr 2, 2016)

I love it too! They are like weed, fragrant and beautiful one. You just need cold winter for them. 

Had no idea there were so many varieties. 
Wish there were some images to compare them.


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