Introduction: Dendrobium pierardii or aphyllum or cucullatum is an orchid found in most collections. It's also referred to as the ‘hooded orchid’ due to the cone shaped lip of the flower. it's attractive and simply cultivated and has long, pendulous stems that become leafless within the resting period and, for a couple of weeks during the spring. It carries numerous, pinkish violet, fragrant flowers with a straw or whitish lip. Although there are many prettier species within the Dendrobium genera, few are as rewarding and protracted because of the pierardii in cultivation. The species was discovered by William Roxburgh in southern India and described in his book Plants of the Coast of Coromandel in 1795. During most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Dendrobium aphyllum was best referred to as D. pierardi, perhaps because the latter had been far better illustrated by Sir William Hooker in 1822. Under this name, it became one among the foremost widely cultivated Dendrobium species, a standing that it still enjoys. Another name for this species, D. cucullatum, which was published in 1821 by Brown , but until recently this had been almost forgotten. the right name, D. aphyllum, only came into general use after 1985, when the influential Danish botanist Gunnar Seidenfaden confirmed, albeit with some reservations, that this was an equivalent species that folks were growing as D. pierardii. Gradually, the name D. aphyllum has come into use and is that the accepted nam
Distribution: From southern, central and north-eastern India, through Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, China, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to Peninsular Malaysia, the Dendrobium pierardii grows in forests at 100–1,600 m and also on limestone cliffs.
Plant: Plant is an epiphytic orchid and sometimes lithophytic with clustered, cane-like, overhanging to pendulous stems of 20–200 cm long. The leaves are 3–10 cm long, 1–3 cm wide and deciduous after one season . These heavy long cane like stems assume the role of pseudobulbs. The canes are deciduous and therefore the plant produces numerous aerial growths (keikis). The inflorescences are short, arising laterally from the leafless stems of the previous season . There are usually many inflorescences per plant, with one to a few flowers on each. The flowers are 4–5 cm across and open widely with a pleasing fragrance. The sepals and petals are somewhat translucent, yellowish cream to whitish, more or less strongly suffused and marked with pinkish violet. The lip is trumpet-shaped, variable in breadth (from 2.0–3.7 cm wide when spread), straw or less often white, whitish at the bottom , with dark violet branching veins inside the tube-shaped part, and densely covered with soft, short hair on the outside surface and along the margins, except within the basal part. The flowers are flimsy and short lived, lasting a few weeks. These are borne on the previous year’s growth
Culture & Care: This terrific plant grows with a pendant habit, the growths first growing up, then bending over and down. With light lavender blooms in creme colored lip, and fragrant, the plant is comparatively easy to cultivate and make them bloom.
Light: While actively growing, provide the plants with many bright but filtered light. they're going to grow well under equivalent light conditions as most Cattleyas. Most of those Dendrobiums grow attached to deciduous trees, in order that they want higher light in winter. Grow them under Cattleya light levels during the season , and move them to much brighter Vanda light levels during their resting period.
Temperature: In their natural habitat, these orchids experience mild to warm daytime temperatures in spring and summer, and usually cooler temperatures within the winter. For most, the winter night temperatures range from about 5°C to about 12°C. The temps are intermediate to warm within the season and therefore the plants will do equally well with high temps within the 35’s.
Water: this might be the foremost crucial element to success with these orchids. In their natural conditions it's fairly wet during the late spring, summer and early fall. Rainfall is sort of heavy for a couple of months, but it tapers off within the late fall, and therefore the winter months are fairly dry. Water the plants regularly once they are actively growing. Mounted plants are often watered daily if air circulation is sweet . During the season , when the new leafy stems emerge and mature, the plant must be kept well watered during a humid atmosphere.
Nutrition: These Dendrobiums enjoy regular feeding when they’re actively growing. Any balanced, water-soluble fertilizer is often used, diluted consistent with package directions. The quality NPK 20-20-20 may be a good option; feed once every week during the season . Reduce feeding within the fall and eliminate it completely when the plants are resting within the winter. Resume feeding after the flowers have finished. High Phosphorus and Potash during flowering and after maturity of bulbs is suggested .Potting: The pendant stems of those orchids make them a challenge to grow in pots, in order that they are usually grown mounted, or in hanging baskets. The larger species can grow to great size, so if mounted, the mount material should be sturdy – a cork slab or dense fern plaque works well. Mounted plants are often watered daily in summer if the air circulation is sweet . during a basket, use a really well-drained epiphyte mix. However, mounting or growing in baskets is preferred. The species are often grown in pots with a medium of coco chips, charcoal and brick pieces, though they're likely better mounted if possible.
Generally from May to October, regular, low doses of fertilizer (appropriate for epiphytic orchids) are often given. In late autumn and winter, heavy watering and fertilization should be stopped, although light misting often continues to stop an excessive amount of drying out. The leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Lower temperatures (but not frost) and powerful light during the leafless stage may stimulate flowering the subsequent spring. Any open, well drained orchid compost will do, as long as waterlogged conditions are avoided.
Resting Period and care: Giving your Dendrobium a respite can make a difference between a specimen plant with impressive and abundant flowers and one that's producing just a couple of blooms. a number of the species of Dendrobiums of this group are, anosmum, primulinum, aphyllum, nobile and parishii. This respite simulates the conditions that triggers blooming in their natural habitats. The winter rest is completely necessary for spring blooming, and people that feel pitying their plants and water or feed during the winter are going to be disappointed. Stop watering round the beginning of December and don’t resume until the buds have fully formed within the Spring.Observe the ideas of the canes; within the fall, they're going to stop producing new leaves. This is often the signal that the plant has finished growing for the season; gradually reduce watering, and permit the plant to dry somewhat between watering. There’s some moisture within the habitat at this point , therefore the plants do get a touch of water from dew or fog; a light-weight watering every few days is all they have . Growth will start again within the early spring at about an equivalent time that the flower buds begin to make . Once the buds are formed, and new growth appears, increase watering again. It's quite typical for these Dendrobiums to drop all or most of their leaves during their winter resting period. Flower buds will appear on the stem opposite the attachment points of the leaves, and new growth will commence from the bottom of the previous year’s growth
If, within the spring, the plants produce keikis (baby plants) on the stem rather than flowers, the plant is telling you that something in its environment isn't correct. this might be an excessive amount of water during resting; the plants need a touch watering during this point but they need to dry completely for 2 or three days between watering. It's going to even be thanks to problems with temperature.
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