Plant of the February
Dendrobium: The look of the Orient

Take the timelessness of the Himalayas, wrap it up in sexy colours, give it scintillating shapes and a downright provocative lip, and you end up with the Dendrobium - an orchid that instinctively puts a smile on your face.

A flowering statement
No matter which Dendrobium steals your heart, it will always be enchanting. To start with, there’s its shape: a flame of star-shaped flowers layered with green leaves. The petals have gorgeous patterns: either a gradual gradation of colour or a sharp contrast, such as yellow petals with a pink lip, or white flowers with a deep purple centre. But what always catches the eye is its wide lip: sensuously curled, flirty and pronounced – no doubt about its ‘girl power’.

A living work of art
The approximately 200 Dendrobium species grow in their natural habitat, which is an enormous triangle between the Himalayas, the south of Japan, and New Zealand. Dendron is Greek for ‘tree’ and bios means ‘living’, so the name of this genus suggests where its species live in the wild: preferably on trees and sometimes on rocks as well. Although endemic to cooler regions it will also happily thrive in a living room; Dendrobium orchids are easy housemates that don’t need all that much attention and care, and really are a living work of art in any room. The English call it a ‘pet plant’ because of its lively personality.

Happy Housemate
Best location: light and good ventilation but out of direct sun
Best temperature: no warmer than 18ºC
Best care: immerse the roots and let them drain off but don’t let them stand in water; or mist the aerial roots so that some of this moisture penetrates the roots. Be stingy with plant food - half the standard amount will be enough
Best tip: after flowering, let your Dendrobium rest for six to eight weeks in a cool location with no food and scarcely any water. Wait until buds appear before resuming normal care.

Bet you didn’t know
In Chinese medicine, parts of some Dendrobium species are used to steep a tonic supposedly good for the digestion and for nourishing the person’s ‘yin’ (feminine aspects). In China, it is the ultimate gift for a woman to give her bosom friend.
There are more than 1,200 cultivars and it has been enjoyed as a houseplant since 1900. Back then, if a man gave a woman such an orchid, it symbolised wild passion but to some it could be seen as an unbecoming gift because the flower’s voluptuous lip makes such an erotic impression.