Habitat and Ecology
 
​Dendrobium harveyanum is a rare, deciduous epiphytic orchid native to Southeast Asia, with a distribution spanning Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Yunnan Province of Southern China. It grows on tree trunks and large branches in open, cool-growing montane forests at elevations between 1,100 and 1,700 metres. It is adapted to a monsoon climate with a hot, wet growing season (spring/summer) followed by a cool, bright, and almost entirely dry rest period in autumn/winter, which is essential for initiating its stunning floral display.
 
​Description
 
​This orchid is a small-sized, deciduous perennial with a clump-forming habit. It produces erect, spindle-shaped (fusiform), deeply grooved pseudobulbs (15-23 cm long) that are rigid and somewhat glossy. These canes bear two to nine ovate-oblong, leathery, deciduous leaves near the apex during the growing season. The flowers are the key feature: they are produced on pendent, lax racemes (15 cm long) that emerge from the nodes of the leafless or older canes in late winter to early spring. The blooms are approximately 5 cm across, spreading, thinly textured, and a striking golden-yellow colour. The petals and lip are uniquely and conspicuously long-fimbriate (fringed), giving the flower a shaggy or filamentous appearance. The flowers are fragrant, often smelling strongly of honey.
 
​Cultivation
 
​Dendrobium harveyanum is a cool-to-intermediate growing orchid that demands a strict winter rest to flower successfully in the UK. It requires bright, high, filtered light—providing high light when the canes are leafless in winter is crucial. It is often best mounted on cork bark or grown in a basket with an open, fast-draining medium (coarse bark and charcoal). The growth cycle must be replicated:
 
​Growing Season (Spring/Summer): Water heavily and regularly (mimicking monsoon rains) and provide maximum air movement.
​Rest Period (Autumn/Winter): Cease watering almost entirely from late autumn (e.g., Halloween) until new flower spikes are visible (late winter/early spring).
 
​Optimal Daytime Temperature (Growing Season): 24-27C (75-81 F)
​Optimal Nighttime Temperature (Winter Rest): A cool drop is necessary, ideally 10-13 (50-55 F).
 
​Feed weekly during the active growing period with a balanced liquid feed.
 
​Unique Features
​This orchid is a rare and highly sought-after collector's plant due to its unusual, shaggy, fringed flowers—the long, golden, filamentous edges on the petals are exceptionally decorative. The intense honey fragrance adds to its appeal. Its deciduous nature and dependence on a cool, dry winter rest to produce its spectacular golden-yellow blooms from leafless canes make it a rewarding challenge for the dedicated orchid enthusiast.
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Specifications
 
​Plant Size: Younger plants approaching flowering size. Mounted
​Plant Family: Orchidaceae
​Plant Passport: A Dendrobium harveyanum B 140084 C [buyer input with the number on the plant label] D GB