Dendrobium speciosum
Known as "Tar-Beri" to the aborigines, and "Rock Lily" or "King Orchid" to other Australians, this magnificent orchid amazes one and all! It blooms extraordinarily flower-laden plumes, like bushy fox tails, of fragrant, creamy white flowers. Here in Santa Barbara, these plants grow wonderfully outdoors with the Cymbidiums, however, many customers also report flowering success in a cool to intermediate greenhouse.
These light-loving plants are very well adapted to garden and landscape use in sub-tropical areas. Please e-mail or call for a pdf list with pictures of divisions available.

Temperature Tolerant. February - March blooming. Species from Australia.
Orchid of the Day: January 14, 2015

Dendrobium speciosum (var. speciosum x var. grandiflorum)
The species Dendrobium speciosum are statement plants: perhaps most famous for their month-long showy flower display, yet fans of these Australian natives know the lush and robust foliage crowning those large, trunk-like canes make these handsome and impressive every day of the year! The seedlings offered here are from the cross between two favorites, var. speciosum 'Albert Brown' and var. grandiflorum 'Santa Barbara'. The seedlings have bloomed in colors ranging from creamy white to butter yellow on spikes from erect to arching to cascading.

These are very resilient plants that tolerate heat, cold and bright light, understandable when you consider their natural habitat where they survive growing on sandstone boulders along the eastern edge of Australia. Those in situ plants lead rough lives, but in the garden they retain glossy foliage in bright filtered light, sheltered during winters from prolonged wet spells or hard freeze events. Some customers in colder areas report success in a cool to intermediate greenhouse. The var. speciosum is the southernmost variety (around Sydney, 35 degrees S), while the var. grandiflorum is from the middle of the distribution, from Brisbane (around 25 degrees S).

This orchid is like some fruit trees: they produce (flowers in this case) on second-year and older canes, and they have variable "bumper crop" years with especially high yields. The plants offered here are very large seedlings overgrowing 8 inch pots, total foliage measuring between 15 and 22 inches across. Well established and blooming-size. As seedlings each plant is unique in precise color, shape, and habit.

Priced according to plant size, not indicative of the number of flower-spikes.

Temperature Tolerant. February - March blooming. Species from Australia.
Orchid of the Day: January 30, 2025