The Orchid Garden

growth habit

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello all you geniuses out there in cyberspace!  Again, I seek your vast knowledge. I have been re-reading my orchid books for the yearly growth habits of orchids and cannot find an answer to my question. For example:  when do they rest, when do they put out new roots (ie: the type that allow divisions), when do they put on new leaves, and most importantly…when do they flower.  I know that all orchids bloom at different times, but surely there is some growth habit they follow, such as root growth, leaf growth, flower, rest.  This makes the most sense to me but it is only a guess.  Also… what do you do when these things happen. Fertilize more? less? Are my newbie roots showing?? Happy early Father’s Day to all you dads out there!  Shopping hint:  Dad’s love orchids too!

Sheila,    the short answer is that growth patterns vary quite a bit between different tribes, genera, and species of orchids.  There are two broad types of orchid growth, monopodial and sympodial.  Monopodials generally have one "stalk" and continually add leaves at the top end…growing roots along the length of the stalk.  The flowers are typically borne on stems that push out along the stem between the leaves.  Orchids that fall into the monopodial category are Vanda, Phalaenopsis, Angraecum, Jumellea, Ascocenda, Doritis, Neofinettia, Rhyncostylis, Aerides, etc…monopodials can have more than one growth, but they continually add length to their growths year-by-year. Sympodial orchids typically have some form of cane, pseudobulb, stalk or other such organ clustered along a rhizome.  Flowers are usually borne from a leaf axil or from somewhere along the side of the cane, or occasionally from an eye at the base of a growth.  The key difference is that sympodials eventually stop adding length to their growths and instead work on newer ones.  Some sympodial orchids are Oncidium, Dendrobium, Masdevallia, Cattleya, Epidendrum. Now, as far as when flowers, roots, new leaves/growths, etc. are added to the plant, it varies widely…it is best to find out as much cultural information as you can about the genus, species, or hybrid that you have. That way, you can anticipate what it might be doing next and adjust things accordingly. — Prem Programmer, graphic designer/animator, orchid and fossil nut extraordinaire… Official DNRC Title: Minister of Lightwave 3d Plugin Design Foolishness Lightwave Plugins – http://www.PremDesign.com/ppp.html Home – (fossils&graphics included) http://www.PremDesign.com "We exist to proactively supply emerging materials to allow us to interactively coordinate economically sound opportunities for 100% customer satisfaction"

Response:

Hello all you geniuses out there in cyberspace!  Again, I seek your vast knowledge. I have been re-reading my orchid books for the yearly growth habits of orchids and cannot find an answer to my question. For example:  when do they rest, when do they put out new roots (ie: the type that allow divisions), when do they put on new leaves, and most importantly…when do they flower.  I know that all orchids bloom at different times, but surely there is some growth habit they follow, such as root growth, leaf growth, flower, rest.  This makes the most sense to me but it is only a guess.  Also… what do you do when these things happen. Fertilize more? less? Are my newbie roots showing?? Happy early Father’s Day to all you dads out there!  Shopping hint:  Dad’s love orchids too! Thanks guys, Sheila

Response:

Filed under: Dendrobium Orchid

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