Dendrobium: Houseplant of the Month for March

Peace and serenity encapsulated in a remarkable, richly flowering orchid – that’s Dendrobium.

Cocooning amidst flowers

Serene white. Lime and purple. Delicate pink, striped, lilac: Dendrobium blooms in many ways and is an orchid that – surprise! – does not resemble an orchid at all. You see stems that look a bit like reeds, bearing lots of green leaves that grow sideways with lots and lots of flowers in between them. That makes it an attractive dense houseplant that helps turn a room into a friendly cocoon. There are two types of Dendrobium: a compact one with multiple flower stems with lots of small flowers, and one with one or two stems per pot that has larger flowers. Both bloom for an average of twelve to sixteen weeks.

Your own buffer zone

Tired of #workinghard, perfect pictures and having to perform 24/7? You’re not the only one. More and more people want log off from the news, the push messages and the constant noise of the achievement society. Restoring the balance starts at home. Wi-Fi off, tranquillity on. Surrounded with peaceful colours and flowering buffers like Dendrobium you can create a pleasant low stimulus environment in order to achieve calm and recharge for everything that awaits you outside.

Stunning air purifier

• The name is derived from the Greek words ‘dendron’ which means ‘tree’ and ‘bios’ which means ‘life’. This refers to the way in which this orchid often grows on trees in the wild.
• Many Dendrobium species are very good at removing toluene (the main ingredient in thinner) and xylene (a solvent for resins and fats) from the air. That’s why they’re viewed as natural air purifiers.
• Dendrobium’s flowers give off a beautiful scent, a natural home fragrance.

From cool to baking

In the wild Dendrobium grows in the cool mountains of the Himalayas, the jungle of New Guinea and the deserts of Australia, usually on the branches of trees as an epiphyte. That means that it grows on other plants and trees without extracting nutrients from them. It’s a strong plant that can cope with hot days and cold nights in the wild. There are some 1200 species.

How to enjoy Dendrobium for a long time

• Dendrobium likes a light spot, but preferably not in full sun.
• Immerse the inner pot and soil in tepid water with a bit of orchid food once every 10-14 days. Leave to soak for half an hour and allow to drain thoroughly to keep the plant going.
• This orchid looks best with some ‘loving neglect’. Remove wilted flowers, but otherwise leave it alone.

QUOTE

“You say you love me, but you don’t speak my language. You don’t even realize I’m an orchid girl.”

Erin Morgenstern

Dreaming with Dendrobium

Dendrobium fits with the interiors trend in which the home is furnished in such a way that it appears to absorb and soften impacts from the outside. Think of colour such as nude, powder pink, grey-green with some dark green for contrast and matt surfaces to create a calming effect. Place the orchids in ceramic bowls, matt glass pots or in a pot carved out of pink salt. Feathers, tulle, photos and paintings with mist themes help create the feeling that the outside world only enters through a filter. And you decide when to lift the veil again.

For more information see: www.Thejoyofplants.co.uk

Published on: 27 February 2020