Dendrobium Nora Tokunaga - A primary hybrid formed from two species both belonging to the Latouria section and endemic to Papua – New Guinea, presents a relatively similar appearance to Dendrobium Roy Tokunaga, but with much more compact stems, at least in terms of size.
With particular preferences for a moderately warm climate, moderate lighting, and multiple annual bloomings that reveal flowers with impressive coloration, colored in white, green, and pink, Nora Tokunaga is perhaps one of the easiest representatives of the Dendrobium genus to grow and bloom in apartment conditions, an aspect that recommends it both to enthusiasts starting an orchid collection and to experienced ones, who particularly appreciate durable, resilient flowers that can be admired for several months (not weeks!!!) arranged on branched and multifloral stems.
The flower-bearing stems, generally developed in previous years, with heights about 5 cm taller and diameters twice those of the younger ones, develop apically branched flower stems on which large flowers open, approximately 7 cm wide, measured from the tip of the lateral petals, and 5 cm high, from the tip of the vertical tepal to the tip of the voluminous labellum, whose central lobe is narrower than the lateral petals and of similar length to the sepals; the laterally recurved lateral lobes are shorter than the lateral petals but significantly wider than them, rounded at the tips, and with crenelated – wavy edges.
The general coloration is white for the sepals and petals, with a more intense pink or purplish marbling dorsally, which is also visible through the partial transparency of the petals on the ventral side. The chromatic pattern of the sepals consists of dots or spots with a remarkable diameter of over 1 mm, which can merge into longitudinal rows, while the lateral petals have a visibly fused central band. The central lobe of the labellum is similarly colored to the sepals, showing the same spotting arranged dorsally, and on the lateral lobes, a consistent striping is noticeable, visible ventrally, with a radial arrangement from the center towards the marginal area, where it does not merge with the pale violet ventral marginal band and intense violet dorsal band. The flowers, numbering 1 – 5 per flower stem, bloom separately, relatively sequentially, multiple times on the same flower stem, providing a remarkable and long-lasting chromatic spectacle. Some growers mention the presence of a fragrance, while others report its complete absence.
With exceptional tolerance to temperature values, Dendrobium Nora Tokunaga stands out as a relatively easy-to-grow specimen that does not pose problems for enthusiasts. Nora Tokunaga is a hybrid created by Roy Tokunaga, one of the two renowned experts of the Hawaiian greenhouses H&R Nurseries INC, and dedicated to his wife, Nora.
High tolerance to variations in the growing environment is also noticeable regarding the substrate, as there are mentions of growth and reblooming of this hybrid even in hydroponic systems, although classic systems in pots with substrates made of pine bark, volcanic tuff, perlite, expanded ceramic balls, charcoal, and pumice stone are generally preferred. Unlike other species or hybrids belonging to the genus Dendrobium, Nora Tokunaga will prefer moderate lighting and weekly fertilization at dilutions of 25 – 50% of the recommended dose. It is not mandatory to ensure a rest period to obtain reblooming, as this wonderful Dendrobium will bloom both under constant growing conditions and when the irrigation frequency is reduced to intervals of two weeks.
The recommended level of light radiation will be within the range of 20000 – 30000 lux, with plant flowering possible even under conditions of growth exclusively under broad-spectrum artificial lights.
Growth temperatures belong to the moderate – warm range, between 24 – 28 °C during the day and 20 – 22 °C for nighttime temperatures.
From the point of view of relative air humidity, the ideal value will range between 70 – 80%.
The growing medium, as briefly mentioned earlier, will be represented by pine bark, coconut fiber pieces, or other substrates of hard and woody consistency, provided a high humidity level is ensured, with daily irrigations in case of mounting on bark plaques. However, if opting to grow specimens in pots, the smallest possible sizes will be chosen, preferring ceramic containers over plastic ones. A necessary requirement for selecting a suitable substrate is ensuring minimal compaction and maximum aeration of the growing medium. Substrate changes, container replacements, or divisions can be made at any time new root development is observed.
Irrigations will be abundant throughout the year, varying according to the season, in relation to light intensity and temperature values, which will affect the growth rate of the plants and implicitly the rate of water assimilation. It will be ensured that the substrate remains constantly moist, without being wet and without allowing water to stagnate in the containers.
Fertilizations will be carried out weekly or biweekly, at concentrations of 25 – 50% of the recommended dose in the usage instructions, using a balanced fertilizer in ingredients for the entire year.
Do you want to see more articles and gain more knowledge? This article is offered for free, but you can support secretgarden.ro with a review here:
Google: Review on Google
Facebook: Review on Facebook