Like all other orchids, Dendrobium faciferum has specific cultivation requirements that need to be met. Yet, this orchid is both beginner- and expert-friendly and quite easy to care for.
We provide you with a thorough tutorial on how to take care of this orchid in this article so that it can bloom all year long. Find out how to consistently get the best results from your orchid by reading on.
The Definition of Dendrobium Faciferum
Maluku island, Sulawesi, and the Lesser Sunda Islands are where Dendrobium faciferum originally lived. At elevations ranging from sea level to 350 meters, they flourish on old mangroves and trees in littoral woodlands, riverbeds, lakeside habitats, and flood plains. A medium- to large-sized epiphyte, Dendrobium faciferum is found in nature. At elevations of around 380 yards (350 meters) above sea level, it grows on trees, particularly old mangroves.
Because of its very upright posture, this orchid is also known as the “all-facing Dendrobium.” Learn more about its fascinating features right here.
Blooms
Blooming Bush
- This orchid typically blooms twice a year or more. Bigger, more established plants have been reported to bloom continuously.
- Two to five flowers are produced by each inflorescence of the Dendrobium faciferum plant, which protrudes from the tip of a mature stem.
- Less than a half-inch, each blossom can be either bright yellow or orange in hue.
- The outer whorl of Dendrobium faciferum petals are triangular in shape, while the inner whorl’s petals are oval.
- A tri-lobed lip and a large, acutely ovoid dorsal petal are further features of this orchid.
Leaves and Stems
- This orchid has upright stems that can reach a height of 40 inches.
- These stems have yellow-green stripes and a grayish-brown tint.
- Each stem produces multiple leaves by branching in the direction of the apex.
- Dendrobium faciferum has lance-shaped leaves that are about 3 inches long.
- These leaves stand out because they are glossy on top and darker on the underside. Moreover, they have soiled violet sheaths on them.
Dendrobium Faciferum Care
The upkeep of this unusual orchid has never been simpler. Our experienced orchid experts share their knowledge with you to make the procedure seem more enjoyable than laborious.
Light
Faciferum belongs to the Dendrobium family, which requires brilliant yet indirect, filtered light.
Of course, the best type of light is sunlight. If you cultivate these plants indoors, place them near a window in some shade. If grown outside, they ought to be put in a larger tree’s shadow.
The best sunlight for orchid growth comes in the early morning hours. Eastern-facing windows in the northern hemisphere offer intense morning sunlight and partial shade the rest of the day.
Keep in mind that light intensity tends to drop off quickly when you move your orchids further from the window. The light intensity is just a fourth of what it was near the window, even at a distance of 1 yard.
If you reside in a region with naturally little sunlight, you can make an exception to the usual rule and set your orchids in direct sunlight.
If artificial lighting must be used in place of natural lighting, use specialized fluorescent or plant lights and set them no closer than 10 inches from the orchids. Light requirements for Dendrobium faciferum are 18000–30000 lux.
Water
The water requirements of Dendrobium faciferum vary from season to season. As a result, you shouldn’t follow the same water regimen year-round.
Water During the Growing Season
Dendrobium faciferum has a spring to fall growing season each year.
Give this orchid lots of water during this time and make sure the substrate doesn’t dry out at any point.
Select potting soil that can hold onto moisture for extended periods of time without becoming soggy.
Bare-rooted orchids require daily irrigation because they lack a potting medium that can hold moisture.
Using compost or orchid bark in the top layer of the soil also aids in helping the plant retain moisture.
Use a fair amount of water each time you water your Dendrobium faciferum, and allow it to flow through the entire plant. By doing so, you can also wash the dirt, muck, and any pests off of it.
Water During the Season of Rest
Faciferum orchids have a resting period that lasts from the fall till the spring of the following year.
Reduce the number of waterings gradually. Toward the end of the fall, you can start letting the soil go completely dry between waterings.
-The Best Substrate and Potting Media
These decorative orchids can be kept in your house in a number of different ways. To find out what they are, continue reading further.
Orchids with bare roots
The bare-rooted type of orchids is one very common method of home cultivation. These can be mounted on bark or cork pieces. As an alternative, you might hang them in a work basket made of permeable mesh and covered in cork bits. This orchid needs to be grown with frequent watering and high humidity conditions.
Potted Orchids
Growing and caring for orchids in pots is the most practical way. The huge size of faciferum orchids makes this even more true. Dendrobium faciferum orchids require a potting mix and soil that is loose and airy.
It should drain sufficiently as well. The best potting media, in our opinion, are the following soil substitutes:
- Phragmites moss
- Perlite, Peat moss, and Fir bark
Temperature
In their natural environment, Dendrobium faciferum orchids require hot temperatures for growth.
Throughout the year, daytime highs should range from 84 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
Your orchids should be exposed to temperatures between 73 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
To successfully blossom, orchid flower buds require a temperature difference of 44 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you live somewhere where the difference in temperature between day and night isn’t too great, you should open the windows or turn on the fan in the summer to reduce the temperature inside.
Humidity
During the growth season, Dendrobium faciferum requires high humidity levels of roughly 80 to 85 percent.
During the winter rest months, lower levels of 65 to 70 percent are needed.
Developing Plants From Seeds, Repotting, and Fertilizing
Repotting
Early spring is the ideal time to perform repotting. At this point, fresher and more recent roots and shoots begin to develop. Choose a pot that is roughly 2 inches bigger than the previous one. Use a modest-sized pot. In general, orchids prefer a little bit of root restriction.
Change the potting medium as well while repotting. This is due to the fact that at this point, the majority of the soil’s nutrients will have been depleted. When repotting orchids, exercise extreme caution to avoid damaging the roots of the plants, since this could result in slowed growth, failed flowering, or even death of the orchid.
Growing Seeds
This orchid must be grown from seedlings, which takes persistence and time. Yet, the following advice is for you if you want to try a hassle-free approach.
- Sterilized seeds can be purchased from a reputable nursery orchid greenhouse.
- Get a little flask and fill it with the orchid fertilizer solution.
- In the medium, sow the seeds.
- Take extreme precautions to prevent this flask from becoming contaminated.
- Sustain ideal conditions for temperature, humidity, light, and water.
- Orchid seedlings are exceedingly delicate, and they will not develop at all if there is ever even the tiniest alteration in the cultural circumstances or the sterility of the flask.
- Transfer the seedlings to a pot as roots and branches begin to appear, or mount them on a piece of cork or bark, and continue with the previous sections’ instructions for caring for them.
Conclusion
- If properly cared for, the epiphyte orchid Dendrobium faciferum can bloom all year long.
- It is best planted in a pot because it is a huge plant that gets up to 40 inches tall.
- Choose a loose, well-draining potting combination, such as perlite, peat, or sphagnum moss.
- keep the temperature high all year. Yet in order to encourage flower buds to bloom, there should always be a dip in temperature of 44 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit from day to night.
- During the spring to fall growing season, water frequently and prevent the soil from drying up. Instead, gradually cut back on water usage and let the soil become a little dry between waterings during the dormant months (from fall until the next spring).
- For the most of the day, place Dendrobium faciferum under filtered, bright indirect light. Just expose them to direct light in the morning.
- Put them only 10 inches away from the plant while utilizing artificial light.
- Maintain high humidity levels during the growth season—around 85%.
- In short, these orchids that enjoy heat and water are quite simple to grow and maintain. In exchange, your living spaces will be instantly brightened by its flamboyant leaves and flowers.
Before you begin growing this lovely orchid, let’s quickly go over the most important consideration that you should constantly bear in mind.
