Dendrobium Ise ‘Yayoi’

Dendrobium Ise ‘Yayoi’ is getting hard to find. This is a shame because I much prefer it to the white Dendrobium nobile hybrids you find in garden centres. Not that there’s anything wrong with them, but they have very specific cultural needs to induce blooming that I can’t reproduce in my growroom. Dendrobium Ise ‘Yayoi’ uses a different breeding line and has more heat tolerant species in its background. This means that although it still would be classified as a nobile type Dendrobium, it will grow and bloom in warm conditions without any problem and without the winter rest that is so essential to most of the Dendrobium nobile hybrids you see around. These pristine white flowers with a delicate green throat are produced after the cane has been completed (Dendrobium produce what we call ‘canes’ but they are actually the plant’s pseudobulbs) in pairs all up the cane and is very beautiful and elegant.

This hybrid remains small at less than 30cm. The canes are much thinner than those produced by most hybrids from this group of Dendrobium and are, as you would expect, deciduous (leaves are generally shed at the onset of new growth). It can be helpful to stake canes as they come into bloom, either just for support or so they can be positioned in such a way as to show off the flowers. A full-grown specimen fits easily into a 9cm pot, and a 12cm pot will accommodate a large plant. Old canes can produce buds or keikis (adventitious growths that will grow into identical copies of the mother plant) and continue to support the growth of new canes while they are alive. Under no circumstances should live canes ever be removed from the plant.

Potting mix is usually medium bark chips, but fine bark chips could be used in smaller pots to save watering so frequently. I like to avoid using moss in the mix for Dendrobium as it tends to hold too much moisture and can cause root rot. Plants should be re-potted at the onset of new growth but only if they are root-bound or if the potting mix has broken down. (Dendrobium seem to do best grown to quite large sizes in very small pots so don’t be too quick to pot them on)

Plants are periodically available for sale.