Dendrobium officinale cutting guide with illustrations, the propagation method is easy to understand at a glance

One of the propagation methods for Dendrobium officinale is stem cutting. Many gardening enthusiasts like illustrated guides, so the editor has put together an illustrated guide to Dendrobium officinale cuttings for fellow gardeners to reference. To make it simple and clear for everyone, some overly theoretical details have been omitted, but do remember: never use soil as the cutting medium!

For Dendrobium officinale cuttings, we have two methods to choose from. One is to plant them directly into a medium (sphagnum moss or bark, etc., not soil!).

The other is to lay the Dendrobium officinale horizontally on the medium and just press it down slightly at the bottom.

Now let's talk about selecting and preparing the stems. If you can cut directly from the mother plant, we choose 1-2 year old stems that face the sun, have thick and short nodes, and plump buds. Use the buds from the middle section of the plant or above as cuttings; do not use flowering stems or tender shoots.

If the stems are obtained by other means, it is best to choose ones with buds, as this gives a higher success rate for cuttings.

The reason we said never to use soil as a medium is that Dendrobium officinale is an epiphytic plant. Under natural conditions, it mainly grows on the shaded and moist trunks of tall trees or on limestone. So when we take cuttings, if we insert the stems into soil like other plants, the result is mostly rot. But inserting them into a medium like sphagnum moss, because of its good air permeability, makes root rot less likely.

Also, after taking cuttings, pay attention to moisture retention and shading. Dendrobium officinale likes a warm and humid environment, and normally needs at least 60% shading.