Anyone Growing Dendrobium formosa group??

Happypaphy7 · Sep 10, 2016

I mainly want to know how cool these have be grown in the winter.

I have a primary hybrid, Dendrobium Formidable ( formosum x infundibulum) that flowered with a single large flower two years ago.

Last year's cane did not make any flowers.

This year's cane is bearing three or four buds now. The growth is more than twice as tall as the older ones too, and there is a second cane for this same year, which is new.

Another reason I ask about the winter temperature is because the flowers were made on top of the cane before and this time.
I do see at least four or five nodes near the top of the cane showing "eyes" for spikes, but they won't develop.

Stone · Sep 11, 2016

formosum is an intermediate to warm grower. infunidulum is an intermediate to cool grower. Put then together and you have an intermediate grower. So min of 12C to 15C should be about right.

Happypaphy7 · Sep 11, 2016

Ok, this winter might be warm here, but I will try my best to keep my place as cold as possible.

I wonder all these four buds will be as large as the lone flower from years ago. It almost looked like a large Cattleya! haha

Happypaphy7 · Sep 11, 2016

Stone said:
formosum is an intermediate to warm grower. infunidulum is an intermediate to cool grower. Put then together and you have an intermediate grower. So min of 12C to 15C should be about right.

BTW, you see that thin white line along the edge of that one leaf near the top?? What would you think of that??

Even this bothers the sh*$ out of me every time I look at it.
So, yeah, I almost threw this one out last week. I mean it's been there for a long time. It started as the leaf was growing out.
Plus, some of the green leaves started to show this slight light green and yellow mottling. Very subtle, but they are there.

Maybe test it and get peace of mind.

Stone · Sep 11, 2016

Happypaphy7 said:
BTW, you see that thin white line along the edge of that one leaf near the top?? What would you think of that??

Even this bothers the sh*$ out of me every time I look at it.
So, yeah, I almost threw this one out last week. I mean it's been there for a long time. It started as the leaf was growing out.
Plus, some of the green leaves started to show this slight light green and yellow mottling. Very subtle, but they are there.

Maybe test it and get peace of mind.

Could possibly be a virus? It would probably be cheaper to throw it away and buy a new plant than bothering to test it if it concerns you. First though, I would have a close look at the new growth next season. If it still streaks after being fed properly, you can suspect a virus infection. Some viruses which cause variegation are not infectious.

paphioboy · Sep 13, 2016

Formidable can grow and flower when grown hot all year long too. One local nursery has several benchloads of these and several other Formosae hybrids (Dawn Maree, Roongkamul Vejvarut, Frosty Dawn 'red lip'). Formidable does produce very large flowers for this group, but my personal opinion is that the flowers tend to be clustered at the top of the canes, which can grow very tall (4 feet). This is a trait from the formosum parent. I prefer hybrids which flower all along the cane, like Frosty Dawn. These are great candidates for indoor growing, as the leaves don't like to be wet and they do not like to be exposed to heavy rain.