Dendrobium pugioniforme

Dendrobium pugioniforme, a remarkable species with fleshy pointed leaves along a pendulous rhizome, and the whole thing is covered in very attractive flowers with light green petal and sepals, and a white and pink lip.

The species is native to Australia where it is known as the 'Dagger Orchid' due to its stiff pointy leaves. It grows as an epiphyte on trees or as a lithophyte on rocks in cool shaded wet forest.

The flowers begin to appear on our largest plant in early March and the last ones go over at the end of April. As can be seen from the photos the flowers are non-resupinate (upside down with the lip at the top) and produced in profusion from all along the pendulous stems.

We grow our plant mounted on a largish piece of cork bark and we spray plants daily. We find that the plant grows well in both shaded or brighter spots.