One Den. Dying

I have two dens. one is turning yellow and dying. They other one is doing great. What is the problem do you think? Feedback please.

What kind of Dendrobiums do you have?

Without lots more info (how you grow it, what it's potted in, what kind it is, etc), it's basically impossible to give any feedback. Having said that, probably the most common killer of the commonly grown dendrobriums is overwatering. It might also be some kind of rot or fungal problem.

I will assume the two Dendrobiums are D. phalenopsis types (the most common cane evergreen types), however, there are deciduous dendrobiums that naturally loose their leaves in the 'off' season...many bloom directly from the leafless stems. More info is needed for sure to ascertain the problem. If it is suppose to be evergreen, then I agree that overwatering and root rot is most likely the problem.

It is planted in orchid bark. It is evergreen I assume since the other one is the same kind and has never lost its leaves. What kind it is I don't know because it is a Lowe's plant and you don't get a lot of info. with them.

All my "problem" dendrobiums have yellowing leaves because I think I left them outside too long and they were subjected to some very-close-to-freezing temperatures. Some of the stalks are leafless now, but I'm keeping them in the warm greenhouse and hoping for the best.

I agree that overwatering can cause havoc with orchids, so I'm watching the watering very closely.

- Kathleen (Zone 6, NW Rhode Island)

In agreement with Todd Boland-
I have a Dendrobium unicum, I grow it "on a stick"/ without pot, it flowers on bare canes. The plant looks most of the time like dried sticks.
see plant at the bottom of the page:
http://www.kammlott.net/Laborday2003.html

and the Den. parishii, not really flowering on leafy canes either. That page gives you some growing tips too.
http://www.kammlott.net/Denparishii.html

Also phal. type Dendrobiums will lose their leaves on the older canes, may they be cold, wet, warm, dry, whatever. As long as the new canes are green, I wouldn't worry.

To try to save it there's some things that you can try doing.

CAREFULLY unpot, soak in water for a few hours and pick out as many pieces of the media as you can. Cut off dead and unhealthy roots and lightly dust cinnamon over the roots.. A websearch or library book will yield info on the difference between dead and alive roots. Note: Most den. roots are fuzzy and brown so make sure you know the difference between healthy and not.

Then repot in new media appropriate for your orchid. Don't water at first. Keep the humidity as high as you can for your orchid until it recovers, if it does.

Even if it is just dormant, I think this is the time to repot and clean up anyways.
http://orchidweb.org/orchids/culture/

Hi Micha, what does the cinnamon do? Fungicide?

Righto.

Capt.,

Thanks I will try tomorrow to change medium. Poor thing looks like two dead sticks.

Not that you've taken them out of the pots, what did the roots look like? Did you figure out yet whether it's the kind that loses leaves?

hi all, here is one of my beautys. marilynne

Cork,

That is pretty.

Capt,

Well It is dead now for sure because I was trying to tell if it was green and broke it in half. :(

That's too bad but the good news is Home Depot is selling their orchids out pretty cheap now and I know they have den. orchids!