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Species library › Dendrobium › Dendrobium rigidum
Orchids Well documented

Dendrobium rigidum

Smooth tongue orchid

A small epiphytic or lithophytic Dendrobium from the tropical lowlands of Cape York and New Guinea, with wiry, hanging stems, thick fleshy dark green leaves and small cream, star-shaped flowers that are often marked pink or red. It grows in mangroves, paperbark swamps and rainforest, often on well-lit branches. Grow it hot and bright on a mount, with a slightly drier winter.

Dendrobium rigidum
Photo: Johannes Jacobus Smith, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
At home, aim for
Day Warm-growingTargets in Plantistry
Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry
Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry
Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry
Expects a seasonal restGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

On trees, shrubs and rocks in mangroves, paperbark (Melaleuca) swamps and rainforest. The thick, fleshy leaves suit bright, exposed positions where the plant dries quickly between rains.

GBIF records run from sea level to 600 m, with a median of 80 m (46 records), so it is essentially a hot lowland plant.

Australia (Queensland)New Guinea

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates
✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it
✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light
✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it
✓ Substrate and airflow
✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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More Dendrobium

Dendrobium bigibbum Dendrobium nobile Dendrobium phalaenopsis Dendrobium kingianum Dendrobium canaliculatum Dendrobium moniliforme Dendrobium bracteosum Dendrobium unicum Dendrobium regium Dendrobium taurinum Dendrobium speciosum Dendrobium tetragonum All 1696 →

Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its Public domain licence, unmodified.