Dendrobium mutabile

Dendrobium mutabile is an epiphytic orchid species native to the humid forests of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. It thrives at elevations ranging from 700 to 2,100 meters above sea level.

Features:

• Growth Habit: Dendrobium mutabile is an epiphytic orchid with slender, fusiform pseudobulbs that can grow up to 1 meter long. The stems are typically green but may turn reddish when exposed to particularly luminous conditions.

• Leaves: The plant has alternate, distichous, oblong-lanceolate leaves measuring 6–8 cm in length and 1.5–2.5 cm in width.

• Flowers: The compact racemose inflorescences emerge from the apical nodes, bearing 5–16 flowers. Each flower has a diameter of 2.7–3 cm, with sepals and petals that are white tinged with pink and a white labellum featuring three orange-yellow tubercles at the base and a violet spot at the apex.

Care Tips:

• Light: Provide bright, indirect light. The plant can tolerate some direct sunlight, especially in the morning, but should be shaded from the intense midday sun.

• Temperature: Maintain warm temperatures during the summer, with daytime highs between 30°C and 35°C (86°F to 95°F) and nighttime lows between 22°C and 28°C (72°F to 82°F). In winter, cooler temperatures between 18°C and 25°C (64°F to 77°F) during the day and 10°C to 15°C (50°F to 59°F) at night are beneficial.

• Watering: Water the plant once or twice a week, ensuring the medium remains moist but not waterlogged. Allow the substrate to dry slightly between waterings to prevent root rot.

• Humidity: Maintain high humidity levels, ideally between 70% and 85%, to mimic its natural tropical environment.

• Air Circulation: Ensure good air movement around the plant to prevent fungal infections and promote healthy growth.

• Potting Medium: Use a well-draining, airy medium such as a mix of bark fragments and medium-sliced charcoal. Mounting the plant on cork or arborescent fern rafts with sphagnum at the base can also be effective, especially in drier conditions.

• Fertilization: Apply a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer with microelements at a quarter of the recommended dosage every two weeks from spring to early autumn.

• Rest Period: Allow the plant a resting period in winter by reducing watering and fertilizer application. However, ensure the pseudobulbs do not shrivel excessively.