Etymology: Dendrobium (from the Greek dendron = tree and bios = life, referring to its epiphytic lifestyle on trees); hekouense = originating from Hekou (referring to the place where it was found in Hekou County, Yunnan Province, China); cuthbertsonii (named in honor of Walter Cuthbertson, a Scottish plant collector).
Origin / Distribution: Cultivar. The parent species involved originate from the cool to temperate mountainous regions of China (D. hekouense) and Papua New Guinea (D. cuthbertsonii).
Description & Notes: This fascinating interspecific dwarf hybrid combines two of the most sought-after miniature species in the genus Dendrobium. The Chinese parent, Dendrobium hekouense, is renowned for its extremely delicate stature and single, elegantly patterned flowers that are enormous in proportion to the plant. Dendrobium cuthbertsonii 'purple/white' contributes a dense, cushion-forming growth habit, characteristically warty leaf texture, and exceptionally long-lasting flowers in attractive purple-and-white shades. The seedlings promise ultra-compact miniature plants with exceptionally large, waxy flowers and prolific blooming. Due to its small size and high humidity requirements, this hybrid is ideal after planting out for growing in display cases or terrariums, or mounted on cork with moist sphagnum moss.