Question
QUESTION: I believe my orchid is a dendrobium.  The flower fell off 8mnths ago. I cut back stem. New growth at stem. Now leafs are yellowing and stem is browning. New growth is growing and sprouting new leafs. What should I do?

ANSWER: Hello Janine,

If your orchid is a dendrobium, it could be an evergreen or deciduous dendrobium.  Which one it is would help determine if the leaf yellowing is normal or not as deciduous types drop their leaves in the fall.  If you are not certain which it is, you can tell by how the flowers were presented on it.  Evergreen types produce their flowers on a long stem that grows from near the top of the cane or growth while deciduous types produce their flowers along the cane.  

If there is new cane growth with leaves, it would be best to leave it alone and allow the growths to continue growing until maturity.  If the stem turns brown, you can remove it by cutting it off.  

Hope this has helped.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Jim, your right about it being an Evergreen, flowers were at top of stem so is re-growth. Yes the stem is brown, but if I cut of new growth, how will it grow? Will it form roots or will it die once cut and planted in bark. Thanks so much for your advice and help, much appreciated. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Janine

Answer
Hi Janine,

Once a flower stem turns brown you can remove the stem by cutting it off from the growth.  If there is a keiki growing on the stem and it does not have any roots yet, the stem below the keiki should still be green with only the stem above it having turned brown.  But, if the stem below the keiki has turned brown you have not choice but to remove it, pot it in its own little pot and hope that it grows roots and survives.  

Hope this has helped.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.