Dendrobium crystallinum is native to Southeast Asia, Hainan and Yunnan in China, and Manipur in India. It grows on small trees in exposed locations of evergreen, semi-deciduous and deciduous dry lowland forests and savana-like woodlands and primary montane forests at elevations of 700 to 1700 meters above sea level.
Dendrobium crystallinum also called as The Shiny Crystal Dendrobium, Callista crystallina, Dendrobium crystallinum var. hainanense, is a species of the genus Dendrobium. This species was described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1868.
IDENTIFY DENDROBIUM CRYSTALLINUM ORCHID PLANT
Dendrobium crystallinum is native to Southeast Asia, Hainan and Yunnan in China, and Manipur in India. It grows on small trees in exposed locations of evergreen, semi-deciduous and deciduous dry lowland forests and savanna-like woodlands and primary montane forests at elevations of 700 to 1700 meters above sea level.
It is a medium sized, pendulous, warm to cool growing epiphyte with slender, erect or pendant, 30 cm long pseudobulbs without nodes carrying 2 to 4, linear-lanceolate, soft-textured, distichous, deciduous, 10 cm long leaves.
The Shiny Crystal Dendrobium blooms in the spring and summer on a to 5 cm, axillary inflorescence with 1 to 3, very fragrant flowers that emerge from near the apex of the newest pseudobulb. The flowers are of delicate texture with white sepals and petals, brightly tipped with amethyst purple. The labellum is roundish, yellow, margin white, front lobe blotched with purple.
DENDROBIUM CRYSTALLINUM ORCHID PLANT 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 crystallinum like plenty of light, but cannot stand the full noonday rays of the sun (15000-40000 lux, filtered or diffused light is recommended.). These usually do best when placed so that they can get the early morning sun, but are shaded from about 10 a.m. onwards in the Summer time. In the Winter they can usually stand the sun's rays up to 11.30 a.m.
Temperature:
The average temperature of the summer day is 25-26 ° C, night 21 ° C, giving a daily difference of 4-6 ° C. In winter, the average day temperature is 27-30 ° C, night 16-17 ° C, giving a daily difference of 13 ° C.
Humidity:
From the end of spring to autumn, The Shiny Crystal Dendrobium need the humidity of almost 80%, in winter and at the beginning of spring it drops to almost 60%.
Too dry air has a negative effect on the development of the plant: its growth is inhibited, and the leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out. The higher temperature, the higher the humidity should be, and the higher the humidity, the more often and longer it is necessary to ventilate the room where the plants are contained, otherwise the probability of rotting and various kinds of fungal diseases.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Dendrobium crystallinum grows best in pots with staghorn peat as substrate (crocks and charcoal at the bottom of the pot). After potting, keep the plant in a cool, shady place for a few days before placing it in its growing position. Do not overpot. Use the smallest pot that will accommodate your plant.
It does not need frequent repot, therefore, it is desirable to transplant only when it is really necessary, for example, in cases of strong salinization or compaction of the substrate, at its critically high or low pH (the norm is from 5.5 to 6.5) or when the plant grows very strongly and the pot becomes cramped to it (pseudobulbs begin to hang from the edges of the pot). Repotting is best done immediately after flowering when new roots and new growth begin to grow.
Watering:
Although this plant like plenty of applied water in the Summer, they do best in a dry atmosphere. Watering is directly dependent on the temperature of the content, the higher it is, the more often it needs to be watered. When watering, excess water should flow freely from the pot, since stagnation of water both inside the pot and in its pan can very quickly lead to rotting of the roots and the lower part of the plant.
Fertilizer:
It is recommended to use a 1/4-1/2 dose of orchid fertilizer weekly. You can use the balanced fertilizer throughout the year or from spring to mid-summer use high-nitrogen fertilizer, and then until the end of autumn high-phosphoric fertilizer to stimulate flowering.
Rest period:
Dendrobium crystallinum need less water in the winter, especially if they grow under the conditions of a dark, short day that occurs at moderate latitudes. They should dry somewhat between waterings, but they should not be dry for a longer period. Frequent morning fogging and rare, economical watering should allow the plant to go through a dry period of rest, while providing it with sufficient humidity. Fertilization should be reduced or eliminated until new growths appear and a more abundant spring watering begins.
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