Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Dendrobium fimbriatum var. oculatum

Dendrobium fimbriatum is a very fragrant spring-blooming orchid. The scent can be detected several feet away from the plant. The growing canes of this epiphytic plant are somewhat pendulous and tend to arch out horizontally from the base. This growth habit lends itself well to hanging basket culture or mounting on vertical supports. The canes are 1 1/2 feet in length or more. This species grows best in bright light to filtered sun locations.
The leaves persist for about a year on the canes before dropping. Flowering occurs in the spring on the ends of bare canes. 
Each bloom spike will contain a cluster of bright golden-yellow flowers with a fringed lip and a dark maroon spot in the throat. Individual flowers are about two inches in diameter.

Older, lifeless-looking canes will sprout young plants (keikis) that can be removed once they have developed a root system of their own.

1 comment:

Kimberly said...

NICE!!! I love the fuzzy lip on this dendrobium. The color is beautiful too...and a wonderful fragrance!! Bonus! Mine has never offered keikis - only new shoots from pseudobulbs. Mine does not sport a fragrance either.