Dendrochilum cootesii
Submitted by Kelpie on Fri, 01/08/2008 - 11:01
Dendrochilum cootesii H.A.Pedersen, Lindleyana 12: 205 (1997).
Distribution: Philippines
I have this Ddc. cootesii growing in a glasshouse in Canberra. The flowers are very long lasting even when I take it indoors to appreciate its beauty during flowering.
It probably doesn't need the glasshouse but needs high humidity. It is a mountainous Phillipine orchid 1200 to 2000 metres up on mossy tree trunks on the fringes of cloud forest.
nice Dendrochilum
That is a particularly nice Dendrochilum Kelpie!
Is it easy to grow?
Regards wellsy
Dendrochilum cootesii
Hello Kelpie and Wellsy,
I've been trying to grow this plant for 3 years here in Nth. Qld. with not a lot success. It has flowered for me the last 2 years but I think it's going to a better place very soon. I found that when it was growing fairly well I had to hang it under the bench in summer, but this
was still not good enough. I will try again. They say you learn by your mistakes and over the years I've made a lot as I'm sure most of us orchid growers have.
Pawpaw
cooler grower maybe
Its a highland plant and likes to be grown cooler I guess?
Cooler than up your way anyway I reckon.
Regards wellsy
Ddc Cootesii
Kelpie
Thanks Wellsy. I bought two from Bill Miles of Orchid Species Plus (Victoria ph 03 53456387)) at the Cronulla Orchid Show last year. One plant is a fair bit smaller but it has also flowered. It is the same buff/pink colour whereas the normal colour is cream.
Considering both have flowered in the first year, I would class them as easy to grow. Having said that, I should explain my environment. I have a well insulated glasshouse in Canberra with heating that keeps the temp at least 10 degrees during winter but it reaches the mid thirties (and occasionally higher!) in summer despite evaporative cooling, damping down, fans, etc. Even in summer, the humidity is high (70% plus) and I think this is the secret. I have about thirty Ddc species and they are all along the shady side of the glasshouse and the vast majority of them flowering really well. Their natural environment is very moist/misty but perhaps their high altitudes in Borneo and the Phillipines are not that cold!
A couple of years ago I bought a Ddc glumaceum mounted on cork. It is growing with the other Ddcs but not only hasn't it flowered, it struggles to put out the occasional new shoot ie I don't think it gets the constant moisture around the roots that my others get.
Some others may have more advice.
Kelpie