Dendrobium antennatum blooming process - species orchid

[@andreasoilander5407]

What an interesting plant. The blooms are really exotic and unusual. I imagine I would have been worried and disappointed too in the beginning, when it looked like the flower was not how it was supposed to be. I would have imagined it was the wrong plant, or a bad specimen. Happily it was completely normal and it just develops slowly. I noticed some orchids with curly petals often start out different. Coelogyne cristata's flowers also look different when they open, and within some days the petals get gradually more waves as they grow. I love the little antennas on these little guys! They are so cute! I love the leaves too.

[@artistenoire]

Andrea Soilander Haha I totally had all those feelings!! It's lovely to watch them open and curl up. The flowers are so cute. There's actually many orchids similar to this one- den lorrie mortimer, den samurai punani, and a few other hybrids. I'm pretty much in love!! My den unicum also took a day or two after opening to curl up the petals and look wonderful. I was just scared because I couldn't imagine the petals growing that much after blooming. Brassia buds start out super long and bloom super long (length not timewise... brassia buds go out after 11 days on my plants). This one's a keeper if only for it's awesome bright green and shiny leaves! I think it's moved its way into my top favorite orchids that I've got! Thanks for your comments. The coelogyne cristata looks especially nice!

[@andreasoilander5407]

***** It's so wonderful that there is so much variety among orchids. Orchid lovers never get bored! :) There's so much to learn, so much to try, always something interesting to see. Doesn't matter how much we have read, some awesome and unusual orchid we have never seen before will come along. Not to mention bulbophylums (some flowers even look like something from Alien or from Lovecraft novels!). If you are on facebook, check this picture. Is this the same as your orchid? Someone posted it today at the Planet Orchid group. facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1893063317584822&set=gm.946065512081781&type=1&theater Quite an amazing specimen. When I saw it, I immediately thought of your orchid and had to come watch your video again. It's such an amazing flower. Maybe I should put it on my wishlist. I usually like cattleyas better, because they are easy and don't attract mites and other pests as much as dendrobiums. But this is a really cool flower.

[@artistenoire]

I can't see that facebook photo- is it possible to take a screenshot and upload it to tinypic? I love orchids for their diversity as well! There are something like 3,000 species of bulbos, and we had a grower come speak in our OS and he said he'd never be able to get to know all of them. It's maddening and awesome at the same time. I love my sweet little den antennatum and the foliage is great so I would keep it even for that! It is a happy grower, and I am sure if you keep it warm and give it enough light, it will grow for you. :)

[@andreasoilander5407]

***** I copied the picture temporarily to my g+ account, so you can see it from there, if you check my profile in youtube and from there to google+. I don't know if the person who shared the picture intended it only for that group, if it is his own orchid, so I didn't want to share it publicly. So it's shared privately to you and you will see it if you're logged in as Astrid. :) (Facebook won't allow people to share things with people who are not in their contacts, but with google+ apparently it is possible). From what I read, this dendrobium doesn't even need a cold and dry winter rest, so it would be easy to care for (maybe easier than dendrobium nobile hybrids). I'll keep it on my list, so if I ever come across it I will buy it. It's a beautiful foliage too. :) I think I might have seen before similar orchids with antennae, but with different colors. I wonder what they were, or if they were maybe varieties of this same orchid, or crosses with something else. Are there more dendrobiums with antennae? The antennae make it so special in some way. The only one with antennae I have is the psychopsis orchid, which is also a lovely orchid, specially because it is a sequential bloomer. I love it.

[@artistenoire]

There are a LOT of dens with antennae!! It's the spatulata cultivar of dendrobiums. There are tons of antennatum hybrids, then there are ones like den canaliculatum with little teeny yellow and purple flowers. There is also one called just dendrobium spatulata. A cute hybrid of antennatum is called den lorrie mortimer. They're just lovely!! And I can't wait for my psychopsis to bloom. Mine has a new growth and it is going to take a long time to come out, but it will be worth it in the end!

[@GardeningatDouentza]

I love a story with a happy ending!

[@growingthings6232]

that is one cool looking flower !

[@artistenoire]

Growing Things Thanks! I've had my heart set on one of these for such a long time and I just never thought I could grow one. But I went for it and have a nice little reward! Thank youuu!

[@growingthings6232]

I would say so that flower is so cool looking , its always great to branch out try new things and see if succeed at them !!!

[@purplemoonpagan]

I love your video's! It is so relaxing listening to you talking about the orchids :) (i only grow cati ans succulents) Thank you for making these vids! :D

[@annafodde-reguer9346]

amazing!

[@artistenoire]

***** Thanks so much!

[@greencrash-test5578]

The picture quality is so beautiful in this video. What do you shoot with?

[@michaelwong5456]

Just you wait, it will be a monster soon enough, mine is nearly 3 feet tall, n currently have 2 spikes 6+ buds n counting.

[@intisioana993]

Please Astrid can you make an update for this guy?! I want to buy one so bad... but I don't know if it's a fussy orchid to grow or just as easy as a dendrobium phal. After taking care of it for all this time what can you tell us about it's needs?

[@artistenoire]

Update: It is dead because I freaked out and thought it had a virus so I stopped watering it then let it die. However, I bought a Den stratiotes that I am growing pretty well right now. I'm excited for it! It looks very similar to the antennatum but it doesn't have such wonderful leaves.

[@intisioana993]

Astrid Ohh! Sorry to hear you don't have it any more... Hope you have more luck with the new one. Interesting to hear about the difference between the leaves... Have you bought it from Schwerter?

[@GiovanniOrchidsKiller]

is beautiful :D :D hairstyle HAHAHAHAHAH

[@artistenoire]

Giovanni Orchids Killer Maybe I should try this hairstyle.... XD

[@GiovanniOrchidsKiller]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA futuristic

[@artistenoire]

I live to be futuristic!

[@GiovanniOrchidsKiller]

:D :D :D :D