skip to main content

what orchids are best for mounting?

16 years ago

I live in Hawaii and have owned heaps of orchids, but have just reciently got interested in really taking care of them. I love mounted orchids. Can anyone give me hints as to which orchids are best mounted? They will live mostly outside in moderate or high light or in my greenhouse with moderate to low light.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

salvialvr
16 years ago
Which Island are you on? I know there can be some fairly arid regions around there. As long as you have plenty of humidity then you should be able to mount any of the warm to hot growing ones and be happy. Alot depends on your rainfall and how much time you'll have for them. I would start with mini-catts and Tolumnias, they love mounting. Also you might look into Rodrigezias. Vandas aren't usually "mounted" but grow in baskets with out medium. There are many options and if you live in the more ideal regions you could grow many different types mounted there. Most Orchids grow "Mounted" in nature so if you conditions warrant then you can really keep busy trying new ones to see what does best for you
richardol
16 years ago
Quite a few things work well. Cattleya are great. Anything described as liking to dry out between watering is a good candidate.
Related Discussions
Mounting an Orchid
Q
Comments (11)
If I was you I'ld take the Phal off the ball and pot it up then put your new Tolumnia on the ball with the other. Stuff the ball with Sphag to help it retain water a bit longer ang keep the live moss going but be careful...The Tolumnias like to have thier roots dry out rapidly. Generaly tolumnias like to get watered early every morning but be dry before nightfall. IF you have really good air circulation and really high light levels then you can water like I do... I have my Tolumnias mounted on Treefern plagues with sphag padding under and on top of the roots. As new roots grow out of the sphag I leave them exposed to the air. When I water my sphag stays moist for about 2 days then I wait one more day before watering again...it works for me but I have to watch carefully in the winter to keep from overwatering. Just remember to provide lots of light and air flow. I have mine growing indoors in a 2'X4' area with enough CFLs to provide the equivalent of 1200 wts of light in that area and the Tolumnias are 6 to 10 inches under the lights depending on how they responded when I put em in there. Some like to be closer and others need to be a little further in my set up but they all grow and flower well. Every grower has different conditions and needs to adjust thier system to what they have so my way may not work well for you but it gives you an idea as to what Tolumnias like....lots of Air and light....remember that they are Twig epiphites found growing on the small twigs in the outer most part of the tree canopy in nature. I hope this helps, Adam
...See More
Moving with orchids... what is the best way?
Q
Comments (13)
Hi Alexa, I moved from Portland, OR to Dallas, TX last month and I opted to move my houseplants (succulents) and orchids instead of getting rid of them. It was a 4 day drive by car but a two week drive for the household goods. The vast majority of the orchids went in the car with me. However, the larger plants and all the succulents had to ship with the household goods. The dens, cyms and succulents are tough enough to do a two week move especially in April. Here is what I learned from my move. First off, no standard moving company wants to move plants. They write it into the contract; however, I had one mover tell me that they will move them but they wont take any responsibility for how they arrive. I opted not to tell my mover that 3 boxes contained live plants. I shipped them in their pots but I bubble-wrapped them snugly. Because it was bubble wrap I only wrapped it around their pots and around the lower part of the plants but left the leaves unwrapped so they could breath a bit. I put a ton of "FRAGILE" tape on each box and I labeled them as "floor lamp" for a tall madagascar palm, "microwave" for a box of succulents and "ceramic art" for the third box of orchids. I used enough strapping tape (the stuff with string in it) to make sure nothing came open and then I put a bit of crumpled newspaper to fill larger gaps. Here's the one thing I forgot and I highly recommend that you don't. You need bold type arrows with "THIS SIDE UP" on all plant boxes that you are shipping. Movers need to conserve space when they're packing a trailer so they will tip even "FRAGILE" boxed on their sides and maybe even on their heads to get them to fit. Also, you may watch them load the boxes but they may re-load them down the line so that is no guarantee that they will travel as desired. With the shakeup that mine went through I lost a few leaves on my succulents and a couple were out of their pots all together. One pot was broke. The orchids themselves travelled fine. I lost a spike of flowers on one of my cym and one new bud of growth. But the spike was at least three weeks old and the lost bud of growth has since been replaced with two more so I'm rather pleased that they all arrived in one piece. FYI, I've lost three out of the dozens of orchids that drove with me in the car. I made the mistake of leaving two boxes of orchids in the trunk overnight on the continental divide in WY. I put a blanket over them for additional protection but it dropped below freezing and a couple of the orchids weren't under the blanket. I lost the first orchid I ever purchased, a phal, and three leaves on the second phal that I purchased. It's going to be ok but it's going to be ugly for a while. Also a couple of small dens kicked the bucket. The phal went quick, the dens took about 3 weeks to go.
...See More
My first attempt to mount an orchid
Q
Comments (7)
Aside from those technical considerations, I think it was nicely done. It is attractive and not overloaded with sphagnum. I have seen some very successful Phals mounted and grown indoors. They have to be watered frequently, but we all like to fuss over and love on our orchids, so that is not such a problem. I have used several kinds of wood and find that fruit woods or hard woods are fine. Apple, cherry, oak. While they rot eventually, the plant has often outgrown the mount by then anyway. Having said that, I almost always use cork bark now. Very good job, you will enjoy having it grow this way.
...See More
Whats the best place to buy orchids?
Q
Comments (5)
cactus and tropicals in holiday might be closer. they will teach you about what you buy and make recomendations better than home depot or lowes. if you ever find yourself in southern california, there are several growers out there. it is fun to go browse acres of orchids. they are about half the price as well. the species that you see at the hardware stores are probably where you should start. i used to keep over 40 different species and i have come to the conclusion that the reason home depot sells what they do is because they simply perform the best and show well. my favorite is phalenopsis. one of the cheapest and longest blooming orchides i have kept. and my favorite blossom. some quick general advice on orchids (always exceptions). they don't like a water, they don't like heat, they don't like direct sun, the don't like hard water, and they love humidity, constant temperatures, air circulation and bright indirect light. they do best away from windows in bright rooms with humidityÂbathrooms and rooms with evaporative coolers are great. most orchids will die a slow death in a home with central air and heating without special care such as frequent misting rather than watering. if you know what they like and give it to them they are great houseplants. if not, buy them just as they are starting to bloom and enjoy them for a few months then pass them to a friend with a greenhouse or a green thumb and get a new one. sounds expensive, but it is cheaper than cut flowers. trivia: given ideal conditions and no disasters, an orchid will live forever. almost all other organisms have a max life expectancy, but orchids do not. being somewhat fragile, this never happens, but it could.
...See More
mrbreeze
16 years ago
And those that like to dry out between waterings tend to have thicker roots. I would think Phals would be good choices. Others that come to mind: vandas, Angraecoids, Catts and Laelias, some Dends. Really anything that has thick roots. Ones with thin roots would be good as well, but they need to be watered more often.
-MB
mybloto
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the info. I live in Lawai on the island of Kauai. This is a pretty ideal place for orchids. We get rain nearly every day but it is warm so everything drys out well & the humidity is high. It is hot in the sun though and I'd like to have some orchids in full sun. The big cane Dendrobiums like the full sun but are too big to mount. I'll see what I can do with the orchids mentioned. Thanks again.
sunita
16 years ago
I know Dendrobiums can get pretty big but you can mount them on trees. I have several phal-type dendrobiums mounted on coconut trees and on various other fruit trees.
The advantage of using a coconut tree is that the mounted orchid gets the right amount of light and it gets shade from the most intense rays of the sun when it is directly overhead. The disadvantage is that sometimes falling coconuts and leaves can chop off a cane. But that doesnt really matter in tropical conditions... the plant very conveniently grows another one immediately : )
garyfla_gw
16 years ago
Hi
Would agree with the others but I'm curious as to what you use a GH for?? What is it covered with and how do you keep the heat down??
In your climate I'd certainly add Phals to the list. shady and wind protected of course for full sun maybe cane tpe Dends Epis.slowly acclimated Catts. for the epiphytes and mabe some of the terrests. Understand some of them are weeds in Hawaii gary
toyo2960
16 years ago
Any epiphytic orchid should do well mounted. Choose the orchid that you like and mount it.
salvialvr
16 years ago
Actually if your getting nearly daily daily rains many of the fine rooted high-light orchids will do you. Mnay of this type of Orchids love to get a daily shower with a rapid drying. Catts prefer to dry out for a couple of days without additional water. HWRA lava burst "puanani" should love it were you are and it blooms off and on all year

Related Stories

INSPIRING GARDENS The Garden That Orchids Built

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

The owners of a famous orchid nursery create a sanctuary for themselves in South Florida

FLOWERS Orchids 101: Frilly Oncidiums Dance Their Way to Center Stage

By Marianne Lipanovich

Sprays of flowers characterize these New World orchids

FUN HOUZZ 10 Things People Really Don’t Want in Their Homes

By Mitchell Parker

No love lost over fluorescent lights? No shocker there. But some of these other hated items may surprise you

GARDENING GUIDES Got a Hot, Humid Landscape? Add Tropical Flair With Air Plants

By Falon Mihalic

Turn tree trunks and walls into lush canvases with plants adapted to the canopies of the rainforest

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: 20 Uncommonly Attractive Pots and Planters

By My Paradissi

Cultivate some personality indoors with plant containers that are as unique as the greenery they hold

BATHROOM DESIGN 4 Secrets to a Luxurious Bathroom Look

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Give your bathroom a finished feel with a few splurges and budget-stretching moves

BATHROOM DESIGN 8 Bathroom Space-Savers

By Becky Harris

These efficient features can help you squeeze more function into your room

LIGHTING Decorating With Antiques: Set the Stage With Lighting

By Mike Dietrich

Complete a vintage scene or create contrast with lamps, sconces and chandeliers that have traveled through time

CONTAINER GARDENS Freshen Up the Bath With Lush and Healthy Plants

By Laura Gaskill

Learn how to choose and care for plants that will do well in your space

KITCHEN DESIGN So Over Stainless in the Kitchen? 14 Reasons to Give In to Color

By Becky Harris

Colorful kitchen appliances are popular again, and now you've got more choices than ever. Which would you choose?

Sponsored

12 Reviews

Pittsburgh's Custom Kitchen & Bath Designs for Everyday Living

More Discussions

My first keiki!

2

Will Orchid stem regrow? NEWBIE

7

Orchid root rot

1

Source for Cypripedium formosanum?

1

Orchid - Roots vs. Stems?

5