Dendrobium smillieae is native to Northeast Australia, from the Burdekin River to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula, Torres Straits and all over New Guinea. In Australia, they are found from the sea level to a height of 600 m. They usually grow in lowland areas, but are also often found in the lower mountains...
Dendrobium smillieae also called as Smillie's Dendrobium, The Bottlebrush Orchid, Callista ophioglossa, Callista smilliae, Chromatotriccum pachyceras, Coelandria smillieae, Dendrobium hollrungii, Dendrobium hollrungii var australiense, Dendrobium kaernbachii, Dendrobium ophioglossum, Dendrobium pachyceras, Dendrobium secundum var. urvillei, Dendrobium smilliae var ophioglossum, Pedilonum hollrungii, Pedilonum ophioglossum, Pedilonum pachyceras, Pedilonum smillieae, is a species of the genus Dendrobium. This species was described by Ferdinand von Mueller in 1867.
IDENTIFY DENDROBIUM SMILLIEAE
Dendrobium smillieae is native to Northeast Australia, from the Burdekin River to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula, Torres Straits and all over New Guinea. In Australia, they are found from the sea level to a height of 600 m. They usually grow in lowland areas, but are also often found in the lower mountains. The most common natural habitat is a rare forest near the edge of a rainforest. They grow on branches of trees, tree ferns, rocks and in hollows and forks of branches, where the falling remains of bark and leaves collect, creating a quite thick substrate after composting. In New Guinea, they grow on bog trees, rock debris and rocky areas in lowland forests and on old plantations.
It is a large sized, hot to warm growing epiphyte, which reaching 80 cm in height, with slender, fusiform, leafy throughout, sulcate with age, 80 cm long stems enveloped by thin, scarious sheaths and carrying oblong or lanceolate, very thin, twisted or curved, acute, 15-18 cm long leaves.
The Bottlebrush Orchid blooms in the winter and spring on an erect, 4 to 12.5 cm, densely many flowered raceme that arise from near the apex of the leafless cane, carrying stiff, thick, waxy and fleshy, tubular flowers held in a ball. The flowers are 1.5-2.0 cm long. The wax petals of both whorls are yellow to greenish-yellow with pink coloration and green or pink tips. The outer whorls are obliquely ovoid. The inner whorls are ovoid-oval. The meaty latent has no plots, but has 2 convex lines. It is more intensely colored and has a bright green top. The spur is purple.
DENDROBIUM SMILLIEAE CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Dendrobium smillieae needs a light level of 18000-25000 lux. Spreading light is preferred. Avoid direct sunlight, because the thin leaves are easily burned.
Temperature:
The average temperature of the summer day is 29-30 ° C, night 22 ° C, giving a daily difference of 7-8 ° C. The average temperature of the winter day is 24-26 ° C, the night 17-19 ° C, and the daily difference is 7 ° C.
Humidity:
Throughout the year, The Bottlebrush Orchid needs the average humidity of only 70-75%.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Dendrobium smillieae can be grown on tree rootstocks or cork, with high humidity is ensured and watering is done at least once a day in summer. When growing in pots, a loose, quickly drying substrate is recommended. Repotting can be performed in any period as soon as new roots grow.
Watering:
In the summer and early autumn, the precipitation is moderate to heavy, but the winter is quite dry. This plants should be evenly moist, but not soaked, during active growth. When new growths reach maturity in autumn, the amount of water should be reduced.
Fertilizer:
Weekly use of a 1/2 dose of orchid fertilizer is recommended. From spring to mid-summer, high-nitrogen fertilizer is recommended, and then until the end of autumn high-phosphoric fertilizer.
Rest period:
Dendrobium smillieae blooms better when allowed to dry up enough to lose some leaves in the spring. In winter the plants should dry slightly between waterings, but they can not dry out completely, or stay dry for too long. The higher level of light in winter is necessary for flowering.
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