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Ornamental orchid

Dendrobium flowers in summer and lasts for weeks

ATTRACTIVE HOUSEPLANT Dendrobium

Dendrobium belongs to the family Orchidaceae. Grown as houseplants, they are epiphytic orchids from India, China, Japan, Australia and the Philippines. The genus has many species of varied size, shape and colour, each with tall, stem-like, noded pseudo bulbs, green, yellowish-green or reddish green, about 6-13 cm in height, bearing several dark green, leathery leaves about 6 inches long and 1 inch wide.

The flowers have a fine fragrance and appear in a cluster of about 10-12. They are 4 inches across and with deep yellow marking in the throat in white, pink, mauve, maroon and purple. Petals and sepals are usually similar in shape and the prominent lip is often strongly coloured. Dendrobium flowers in summer and lasts for weeks. They are grown in pots, hanging baskets and on trees, always in a well-lit airy, cool place. Spray them daily.

It gets its name from the Greek words `dendron' meaning `tree' and `bios' meaning `life', referring to its epiphytic habit. During the active growth period, from the time flower buds start to appear, water the plants moderately. Apply fertilizer with every fourth watering.

Cut away and discard the dead pseudo bulbs. Cut the rhizome into segments and grow them in small pots filled with moss and drainage material and sand.

Dendrobium `nobile' and its hybrids are the best known of the species.

CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN

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