Habitat and Ecology
​Dendrobium ‘Tropic Pastel’ is a horticultural hybrid orchid, recently registered in 2024, resulting from a cross between Dendrobium aphanochilum and Dendrobium chrysopterum. Since it is a hybrid, it has no natural habitat, but its parent species originate from the montane forests of Indochina and New Guinea. This hybrid is engineered for adaptability and prolific flowering, inheriting traits that favour intermediate to warm conditions with distinct seasonal changes to promote blooming.
​Description
​This orchid is a miniature, sympodial perennial bred to be compact, producing short, clustered, cane-like pseudobulbs (stems). It is known for its abundant blooms that typically emerge on short, erect flower spikes from the nodes of the mature canes, often flowering readily on small plants. The blooms are usually small to medium-sized and are celebrated for their pastel colour palette—shades of cream, and pale pink—offering a softer hue than many tropical Dendrobium hybrids. The flowers are typically long-lasting and provide a high count per spike. The foliage is evergreen or semi-evergreen, consisting of leathery, ovate leaves.
​Cultivation
​Dendrobium ‘Tropic Pastel’ is an easy-to-grow intermediate-to-warm houseplant, ideal for a bright windowsill or conservatory. It requires bright, indirect light; ample filtered light is necessary for flowering, but direct summer sun should be avoided. Use an open, fast-draining epiphytic mix of orchid bark, perlite, and a small amount of sphagnum moss or coir. It benefits from a seasonal wet/dry cycle: water regularly and thoroughly during the spring/summer growing season, allowing the medium to approach dryness between waterings. To initiate blooming, reduce watering and cease feeding for a period in the late autumn/early winter.
​Optimal Daytime Temperature (Growing Season): 21-27 C (70-81 F)
​Optimal Nighttime Temperature (Rest Period): A distinct drop is beneficial for setting buds, ideally 13-16 C (55-61 F).
​Moderate to high humidity (50-70%) is preferred, alongside good air circulation. Feed every two weeks during active growth with a balanced liquid orchid feed.
​Unique Features
​This hybrid is a desirable modern addition to the collector's cabinet for its reliable, frequent flowering and its soft, delicate pastel colouration, which contrasts beautifully with the bold colours of other tropical orchids. Its compact growth habit ensures it remains manageable in limited space, and its breeding specifically targets ease of culture and profuse bloom production.
​Specifications
​Plant Size: Small but flowering-sized plants that have flowered during 2025. Planted on mounts.
​Plant Family: Orchidaceae
​Plant Passport: A Dendrobium ‘Tropic Pastel’ B 140084 C [user input] D GB