Australian Native Dendrobium Care Guide
Growing Australian Native Dendrobiums is popular with both orchid enthusiasts and general flower enthusiasts as many species and their hybrids are endemic to the Sydney region and therefore grow quite happily outdoors without any special protection from our weather all year.
Native Dendrobium can be found in a wide array of colours, some with splashes and spots, on star-like flowers. Many are also fragrant, adding to the experience of growing these wonderful orchids.
Light
Native Dendrobium need good light exposure to grow and flower well, with many suggesting to give them as much sunlight as possible without scorching the leaves. Many Dendrobium will appreciate direct Winter sun and morning sun all year, though usually need protection from warmer midday and evening sun unless properly adapted. Using up to 50% shadecloth over your grow area will ensure the ideal light conditions for your Australian Native Dendrobium.
Foliage is your go to indicator to determine if your orchid is receiving enough light!
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Leaves should be a medium to light olive green colour.
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A shorter, stocky plant, with light green to yellow leaves suggests too much light and risks burning the plant.
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A tall, spindly plant with dark green leaves indicates too low light.
Orchids need enough light to flower properly every year. If your orchid hasn't flowered, perhaps move it to a brighter spot to ensure it can create the energy to flower.
Once in flower during the Spring and Summer, the flowers need protection from hot conditions and sun so to not wither.
Temperature
Our Native Dendrobiums are found growing wild in most areas on the east coast of Australia, so outdoor growing conditions in the Sydney region are very suitable for these orchids. They will survive a very large temperature range from a minimum of 5°C to a maximum of 35°C without special treatment. However, if you want your orchids looking and flowering their best, some care should always be provided to protect them from extreme temperatures.
Watering & Humidity
Native orchids need to be watered all year.
During Winter once a week should be enough whereas in summer they will need watering every second day or more if the weather is extremely hot. Check your plants regularly through each season to know how quickly they dry and when to water, as conditions may vary even from suburb to suburb!
Plants should be kept evenly moist and not allowed to dry out for long periods. A potting medium that gives perfect drainage is necessary to achieve this growing condition.
Always keep plants drier rather than wetter when deciding if plants require watering or not.
You can always add water, never take it back!
Native Dendrobium have a rest period between April and August once they have finished their new growths. Water just enough to stop the canes from shriveling and do not fertilize during this period.
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As our Native Australian Dendrobium have adapted to our local climate, they don't require any additional humidity, though increased humidity may benefit the plants in staying hydrated and maintaining healthy root growth during the growing season.
Air Movement
Just as we appreciate opening a window for fresh air, orchids enjoy gentle air movement at all times. If you feel comfortable, so too do the orchids!
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Since Native Dendrobium are endemic to Sydney and can grow outdoors, they will likely experience a gentle, constant breeze. If you are growing in an enclosed space, such as a greenhouse, make sure to open windows or provide an air circulation system.
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As Native Dendrobium appreciate a high light environment to grow and flower well, good air movement can help to cool plants on hot Summer days to avoid head stress and leaf burn.​
Air movement also helps to prevent rot and fungal growth, particularly during the cooler months.
Fertilising
Native Dendrobium appreciate regular fertilising during active growth (Spring, Summer and Autumn). It is recommended to use a balanced fertiliser (12-12-12).
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Native Dendrobium will then enter their 'Winter rest' during late April through until August when they flower. This allows the plant to focus energy on producing flowers. Too much fertiliser during this time will prompt the plant to produce small plantlets, called keiki, instead of flowering.
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Remember: weakly weekly!
(It's better to fertilise lightly every week than to feed heavily once a month)
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There are many commercially available fertilisers that all work in differing ways:
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Slow release granular fertiliser releases a small amount of nutrients over a long time (3-6 months) to ensure your orchid is always fed.
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Liquid and dissolvable fertilisers provide water-soluble nutrients directly accessible to your orchid, giving them an immediate boost. Many are fortified with seaweed solution as a plant health tonic.
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Organic fertilisers, such as blood and bone, are not recommended for orchids as they require soil microbes to break down their chemical structure before a plant can use the nutrients.
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Always start at 1/4 to 1/2 strength of the commercially recommended dose to avoid fertiliser burn.
Repotting
​How often you repot depends on your growing medium. A mix with sphagnum moss retains more moisture and breaks down faster than a mix of orchid bark, charcoal, and perlite.​
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As a general rule, repot Native Dendrobium every 3 years, both to refresh the medium before it breaks down and rots, and to give the plant room for continued lateral growth.
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Repotting should be done in late Spring/early Summer after the main flowering season and when new growth begins to emerge from the base of the plant. Cut off any dead or dying roots and remove most of the old medium. Soaking plants in water or a seaweed solution beforehand can help release them from their pots and make roots more pliable.​​​
Native Dendrobium can be divided at repotting time by cutting the rhizome between pseudobulb growths. Plants with fewer than 7-8 growths shouldn't be divided, simply up-pot them into a larger container instead. A new division should have at least 3 pseudobulb growths, though a division of 4-5 will be more robust and flower sooner.
Use a coarse bark mix, around 10-16mm diameter for mature plants, to let roots breathe. Since Native Dendrobium like their media to dry between waterings, adding charcoal, perlite, pebbles, or styrene helps open up the mix, dry it faster, and allow more frequent watering without risking rot.
Choose a shallow, squat pot, not deeper than it is wide, with plenty of drainage holes. Size it to suit the current root system with room for up to 3 years of pseudobulb growth. Oversized pots hold excess moisture and increase the risk of rot.
When filling the pot, tap or gently shake it to settle the mix into any air gaps, then firmly press the mix down (without crushing roots) to stabilise the orchid in its new home. You may also tie the plant to a stake to keep it steady and protect new root tips from damage while they establish.
Orchid Care Sheet
Want to keep track of your own orchid's specific needs? Download our printable Orchid Care Sheet, a handy template for recording everything from watering and temperature preferences to potting, fertilising, and flowering habits. Perfect for building your own personal care journal as your collection grows, or for jotting down notes from a Grower's Group chat at our next meeting.
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