Orchid Species: Dendrobium chrysanthum

ORIGIN: This large sized, warm to cold growing epiphyte, lithophyte on limestone cliffs in narrow crevasses and terrestrial species is widespread through the Himalayan foothills of the western Himalayas, Assam India, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam in humid, mossy, mixed and coniferous forests and primary, broad leafed, evergreen, lowland forests at elevations of 350 to 2200 meters.

DESCRIPTION: This large sized, warm to cold growing epiphyte, lithophyte on limestone cliffs in narrow crevasses and terrestrial species is widespread through the Himalayan foothills of the western Himalayas, Assam India, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam in humid, mossy, mixed and coniferous forests and primary, broad leafed, evergreen, lowland forests at elevations of 350 to 2200 meters with pendulous, many noded, sulcate, to 5' [150 cm] long stems carrying ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, bright shiny green leaves that blooms from April till November on an axillary, very short, opposite of leaves, few to several flowered, racemose inflorescence that arise on the nodes on the upper portion of an immature leafed pseudobulb. The inflorescence arises opposite of the leaves with 1 to 3 fragrant, fleshy flowers and needs a drier winter rest to set the blooms for the following spring.

FLOWER SIZE: 1 1/2 to 2 inches [3.75 to 5 cm] -- information provided by Jay Pfahl, author of the Internet Orchid Species Encyclopedia (IOSPE).

Most awarded/recent cultivars: Den. chrysanthum 'Catherine' (2011) Den. chrysanthum 'Jim Rice' (1988) Den. chrysanthum 'Spy Hill' (1965)