"From what I've read I should probably leave out any fans to minimize air movement but I'm not certain on this..."

Where did you do your reading? Air movement sounds very necessary in the kind of case you describe. It doesn't have to be a tornado but I think you will need to keep things stirred up a little bit. I suspect the reason why most fail with these plants is that they have very little photosynthetic area. To me this argues for higher light levels not lower. They may be growing at low altitudes in sub-tropical rainforest but they are still receiving at least Oncidium light (2500fc - 3000fc). You have to be able to deliver 1/2 of that for 16hr/dy. A single 42W should be able to do that at close range.

H

Not to be contradictory to Howard and I've no intention of growing one of these, but...

Everything that I've ever read, from those who have successfully grown and bloomed them, not only are there no fans, but the air looks to be virtually stagnant!!
They seem to be generally shielded from the slightest breeze.
I think that the light levels were actually quite high, but otherwise...
(If I remember correctly!)

There are always exceptions to every rule.
No matter how normally vital!

Scott

Well, I don't remember the sources of info I read because its been a few months but At least 2 of them said that stagnant air was best, they said the ghost orchid doesn't thrive with air movement like many orchids do. Also as a boy I grew up on the edge of a huge cypress swamp and I remember that even on the windy days you could walk in the swamps and never feel a breeze at all. the tops of the trees would be swaying like crasy but it took a hurricane to stir the air in the lower half of the swamp. This seems to support the lack of air movement theory but as I don't know anybody that has grown one of these orchids I wanted to ask. I do think high light would be the way to go since the only chlorophil in this plant is in the vellum and on the flower spikes when they grow but once again with no real expierience to draw from I wasn't sure.

Actually I've grown them for years. Chilo's too. Catt light is necessary to bloom both. I've also seen ghsots in the Everglades. Bright light, some even direct sun. Bare wood works best. They will grow under lower light but they are not likely to bloom. Like H says they don't need wind but they do need air circulation. The young ones will rot fairly quickly without it. Even the mother plant at OHG has a bit of movement. It is in the corner of the vanda room

Clara

well I guess I'll have to rig up some sort of slow fan to stir the air a bit with out it moving it around too much. I think this is gonna be fun putting together. I'm going to put an aquarium heater in the water and a bubble wand to help keep the humidity at maximun

Hmm...
The two that I'm specifically remembering (OSF) were being grown in modified milk-jug shelters .
I think that one was being grown under Metal Halide or high-pressure sodium lights.
The other...I haven't a clue!

I don't remember all of the details, but most air movement was highly discouraged!!
Several different people successfully grew and bloomed them with this highly specific method.

BTW, does anyone have a clue as to what happened to the OSF??
They look to be gone and have been for a few weeks, give or take!(?)

Murder/suicide??
Kool aid?
Holy water?
Silver bullet?

Scott

"BTW, does anyone have a clue as to what happened to the OSF??
They look to be gone and have been for a few weeks, give or take!(?)"

ahh......that's really scary Scott (OSF the fourm - right?)- because I visit there almost daily, just last night in fact. I least I think I do/did .....EKKK......

I use the their search program every so often, but don't spend much time there.
I hadn't checked in a while and when I tried...
none of the pages would load.
I can pull up cached pages from google, but that's really it.
My own issues with them aside, many of them are astounding growers! ;~)

Hey, Salvialvr,

Everything I've read and heard says no air movement, too. Mine's in a 3"x 9" vase, up next to the E/SE window and under the T8s, and all 4 plants keep putting out new roots and have green-tipped roots. There are stones & water in the bottom, and it gets sprayed once a day.

The oscillating fan is about 5' away, on the floor. The Ghost is about 3' higher, so it seems air movement is minimal.

Back in May. The tiny plant at the top is a new addition and about 3/4" diameter.

{{gwi:206465}}

On 12/10/07:

{{gwi:206467}}

"Heading for the skies," 9/5/07:

{{gwi:206469}}

And today:

{{gwi:206471}}

Hope this is helpful. All the best with your plan. Keep us posted.

Whitecat8

hello, whitecat, what do you do with it when it flowers? it is just that the tube does not look as if it is big enough to accommodate the flowers; or, it only looks that way in the photo? next time i see one of those for sale, i think i will buy it. thanks.
sue

I have not done any research into growing Ghost Orchids. I have heard of them, of course, and their reputation for difficulty. Nevertheless, even after reading the follow-up comments I stand by my earlier observations. The literature that is being consulted is discussing Ghost Orchids in nature and possibly greenhouse culture. Still air in nature and still air in a small aquarium or vase are quite different things. I don't know if Whitecat's photo's were all taken at once or over time but if one looks very carefully they may see that the algae that is growing on the mount might be trying to colonize the Ghost Orchid itself. This can happen, especially to a young plant. All that humidity and the close confines with no material like live sphagnum which has rot and algae inhibiting properties just doesn't sound like what the literature on these plants intends. Just my take.

H

Such a fascinating plant. From what I remember of The Orchid Thief, there is nothing refreshing about the Fakahatchee Strand. It is represented as just the opposite - stifling. Seasonal changes?

If I wanted to try it, first I'd try to talk myself out of it. If that failed, I'd try some sort of semi-enclosure like Whitecats which is very clever. It seems to offer a stable, humid environment but with flexibility for fresh, if not moving, air. There does seem to be the problem of what to do when the plant spikes, particularly if spiking, budding and blooming occur over a protracted period. As well, I wonder what adjustment could be made to encourage the roots to adhere to their mount. Something broader with crevases. What's the closest approximation to Pond Apple?

Few may want to invest in a larger, vertically-oriented glass chamber that would show the growing/blooming plant to perfection. If there's ever been a candidate for a Victorian-style "Wardian Case", I'd bet this is it, with better light. Its apparent preference for heat would work in favor of supplemental light - and you could always vent from the top more or less, depending on other conditions.

If you're going to go for this oddity and you don't happen to live in the subtropics or have a warm, fairly still, humid greenhouse, you could make a pretty spectacular dedicated display.

Just musing - who has room? But at any rate, I'd leave out the fish and concentrate on making the plant happy for the time being.

John :>)

Interesting. These remind me of the little beads ...

{{gwi:206473}}

Ohhh... Polyrrhiza is absolutely stunning.

What kind of orchid is this on your picture snasxs?

I like a lot of the ideas I'm getting from this thread, I reall appreciate the input from everyone. I may go with a larger more uprigt aquarium, One of the tall ones that fit so nicely in a corner of the room. I'm also going to use some of Howards input and wrap the driftwood in a very thin layer of Sphag to help reduce the algae growth. I think that the air flow from the airpump and the extra warmth from the heater in the water should keep a VERY GENTLE airflow in the tank as well. I can also use the fish water from time to time to provide the fertalizer. Now I just got to figure out what else I can grow in there that can handle the conditions. Maybe Moss and a couple of small Carnivorous plants? This will should turn into an interesting display. Thanks everyone,
Adam

I remember Tony managed to bloom one and here is a thread. Towards the bottom he details really fantastic guidelines on how he managed to get his to bloom (continuously for 81 days non stop no less!) These are beautiful fantastic plants, and it makes me happy that they are starting to gain attention in cultivation - with more people trying to grow them, the more we can understand about their growth habits and develop ways to keep them in cultivation, which I'm sure will ultimately aid conservation efforts!

Bulbophyllum minutissimum or B. moniliforme!
Sometimes their synonymous and sometimes not.
It depends on your info source! ;~)

I really want one, but I think I'm lucky to get some of my few mini Bulbos do do well at this point.
I can't keep these little ones from drying out too much. :~(
I'll probably get one this next year! :~)

Scott

Scott, yes. These are B menghaiense.

Do you have tilted nose or something (i.e :~) ?

Thanks, Calvin_ for that link!
Solid information on Ghost Orchids
is difficult to find.

Sweetcicely

Littlem, a larger vase is in order. Secretly, I must not have expected it to bloom. LOL

Howard, I've wondered about the algae, too. The pix were taken over a 7-month period. By live sphag, you mean something besides the sphag used as a potting medium, right? Last year, I ran into a grad student who was looking for some.

Whitecat8

Is that the one from southern Yunnan, China?
The leaves do look somewhat different.
A little shorter/stubbier.
Cool grower, isn't it?
Very sweet!!:~)

I don't have either, so...

Scott pulls up Wish List!!

"...tilted nose..."

Huh?
I get the smiley and, somewhat, the meaning...
But not the context.

'splain please!

Scott

Tony Bailey and Oak Hill are G/H's. Vastly different grow from indoors. I routinely visit OHG. They are of a philospohy that air movement is kept at a minimum, however they do have a fan and ventilation system. My hair moves in front of their ghost. They have air exchange that cannot be duplicated indoors. I've grown leafless orchids for some time. They receive the same air as my other orchids. They are really not that difficult to grow provided you have the heat and light for them. I tried Bailey's method, it really doesn't work in a home environment.

Clara

Scott, yes, you are right again. How impressive.

PS. I guess there must be a difference between :-) and :~) A website says the symbol :~) means "tilted-nose".

I am pretty new to orchids (about a year), but I have decades of experience with fish. I agree that it sounds like a great idea! Unfortunately, the amount of light required for an orchid will result in an algae scum tank. This is not bad for fish, but it is ugly. Fish would also require decent air movement (for oxygen exchange.) Unless you are ready to maintain a bright light, heavily planted aquarium, you might want to keep plants and fish seperate...
Perhaps a tall tank with a spotlight could keep the light directed at the orchid, and not the water? The only way to know for sure is to do it... but I think you might end up with something more like an actual ecosystem, and less like a display.

I have to disagree emphatically with you about that.
My palludarium has been up and runnin' for five plus years.
Not only is it full of fish, but many of my best Pleurothalids are in there.
{{gwi:206474}}
{{gwi:206476}}

I have around 30 years with freshwater systems and have tried everything under the sun, and then some!
Both UG and sponge filters, foam fractionators and even wet/dry systems.
My current system is the best that I've ever had.
Next to no maintenance and self stabilizing.
The water turbulence is kept minimal to encourage a naturally high CO2 concentration w/o being stripped.
If everything is done correctly from the planning stages, algae issues will be minimal.

The research and planning took far more time than the actual construction did.
I'm planning a very large one, soon, and can't imagine doing one any other way.
I took info from the best of many different fields and just put it all together into a working system.
It's very, very low-tech!;~)

Scott

Here is a link that might be useful: My palludarium

Scott,

I have been keeping fish since elementary school. I tend to agree with Jim.

I think your tank looks strange. Yeah, I don't see the nasty algea. What is your filtering system? Can you share you design?

You know when I am keeping cichlids (these are like pigs) ... Where do you get all these cool native fish?

I started a new thread with a long, somewhat, detailed explanation.

As far as my filter system, you're looking at it.
I do have a sponge particulate filter, but it's not intended to be a bio-filter.

I kept Tanganikan cichlids for many years, but most of them are smaller.
Although my Frontosa's got to a respectable size.
That was were the wet/dry system came into play, although it took a lot of upkeep!
Plus, it always started sucking air at some horrible time of the am! :~(
My collection of big S.A cats and Arowana's were the hogs.
Ate like 'em, too!

Some of my natives are from Aquabid and some are from Sachs Systems Aquaculture.
There are several other online sites with them.
But, these guys have great prices and very healthy stock.
If we're going to talk fish, we should probably go to the off topic side.

Scott

Here is a link that might be useful: Sachs Systems Aquaculture

I don't grow and haven't tried yet to grow the ghost orchid, Dendrophylax (Polyrrhiza) lindenii , but like many I have thought about it. I have collected a series of posts from various forums (including this one) on information on growing the ghost orchid. I will post them one after another to add to the information base you guys have started. I realize that posts are subject to a size restriction and you can't post one after another so if someone posts after each of my posts I will be able to get all the information in. After the last post I will put "The End".
First the best grown Dendrophylax (Polyrrhiza) lindenii that I have seen is by a grower named Anna Chi. She grows many orchids very well. Anyway the plant I saw was very large and had two flowers.
{{gwi:206477}}
This is a photo of Anna Chi's plant by Eric Hunt. http://www.orchidphotos.org/
When I asked her how she grew it, she said in her intermediate greenhouse, high up in the rafters, and watered and fertilized once a week. The greenhouse uses sprayers that go off regularly and keep the humidity high. This is basically the same information other people have given above.

The first post is by Mick Fournier from 1999 (I believe it actually was from this forum), of HBI which first started flasking Dendrophylax (Polyrrhiza) lindenii

Ghost orchids are indeed difficult to grow... on my website at HBI under
questions & answers #21 I have attempted to detail my suggestions on
growing Polyrrhiza lindenii. In my website photo album you will also
find some pictures of this incredible orchid.

My seed was originally bought 7 years ago from Larry Evans at Blue
Pagoda Orchids in Englewood Florida. For many years Larry was a senior
orchid breeder/contributor on occasion to the Selby Gardens. It is my
understanding that some of the first selects from this grex were given
to Selby Gardens for their Florida orchid display. The 4 leftover
protocorm balls I originally purchased from Larry were badly infected
with a fungus which I was able to kill off with a chemical called Virkon
S used frequently over a period of 6 months. I would now venture to say
HBI has the largest amount of sterile Polyrrhiza lindenii in flasks in
the world. During the last 6 years I have gone through nearly 30
different agar formulas to find a formula that really works for this
very finicky orchid and have settled on 2 formulas. One formula produces
singular husky brutes, the other quantity.

For mounted plants calcium content in the misting water does play a
significant role. I buy calcium nitrate from G&B and add approximately
1/16 to 1/8 of a teaspoon to 2 quarts of water for my misting bottle
applied once every week. In the Everglades I would postulate that the
host trees bore into the Biscayne aquifer (limestone) and pull "up"
calcium which is shed through the leaves and down onto the ghost orchids
in generous amounts in the wild. I also believe the rotting
leaves/foliage in the Everglades swamp water (high in tannins) play a
significant role in ghost orchid growing culture. Growers with mounted
plants in aquariums/Wardian cases may want to consider installing a
re-circulating water-pump/spritzer in a floor level tannin-rich water
pond.

I also think that placing a small amount of live Spanish moss very close
to a mounted ghost orchid is very important in order to transfer organic
"beneficial" organisms to the recently deflasked plants. I have tried
introducing commercially produced mycorrhiza fungi inoculant (Transplant
1-Step by Roots Inc) to ghost orchids but with less than favorable
results owing to its super high concentration. Mycorrhizal fungi
could/should play a very important part in growing Polyrrhiza lindenii,
but for now I am counting on the live Spanish moss to gently "off load"
this fungi to the mounted ghost orchid.

Lately after prompting by my friend and professional orchid grower,
Helen Schwartz, in Miami I have begun growing ghost orchids on very
moist sheets of 25mm thick green carpet moss in pots/baskets... this
might be the "new" wave in growing Polyrrhiza lindenii. Ghost orchids
love to bore into the sheet moss...I can tell you that for sure.

I see in notes above some mention of Susan Orleans book The Orchid
Thief, which has the Polyrrhiza lindenii as a main topic of discussion.
Susan has written a story that may have a few technical mistakes in it,
but on the whole this book tells the real south Florida orchid industry
saga quite well... warts and all. This book should not be discredited
one iota for a few minor mistakes... nor would I want to miss the movie
being produced from this book.

Second post
Here are some personal observations regarding P. lendenii:

As Ken Roberts mentioned, it grows at heights well above the water line on trees in the Florida Everglades. I have observed 100's of them in the
swamps of the Fakahatchee Strand growing on Pop Ash trees (Fraxinus caroliniana) and Pond Apple trees (Annona glabra). The healthiest plant I
have observed (health judged by the fact that it bloomed consistently for 3 years in a row) was growing 12 feet above the water on a Pop Ash in the
middle of a deep slough. I have also seen plants just above the waterline, they have all been small, and in a year with heavy rain they have perished
when the water rose above normal as it did in 1995. The key for these plants' survival in Florida seems to be swamps that have deep water or sloughs that persist all year long. The water tends to provide a microclimate of moisture in dry times and warmth when the occasional
freezes occur.

In 1929, John Kunkel Samll wrote in his book, From Eden To Sahara Florida's Tragedy; "Before crossing to Marco Island we drove into Royal Palm
hammocks . . . On the trunks of these palms the rare Cuban orchid - Polyrrhiza lindenii - was first found this side of the Gulf Stream."
I personally have never seen a P. lindenii growing on any type of palm tree, though I have heard others state that they have. Unfortunately no such hammock exists today because of the spread of civilization and increasing development.
The largest threat to P. lindenii in Florida (and all of the other epiphytic orchids) is dwindling habitat. Several populations of these and other orchids still exist in preserves and secluded areas of the Everglades.
Unfortunately these populations are disjunct and may not be large enough to carry the species through the other threat to their existence, weather.
Hurricanes and freezes cause severe damage to the ephytic orchids. It is amazing to observe over time whole colonies of plants dying because the
wind has rearranged the tops of trees and allowed more sunlight in and moisture out. I know that collecting in the wild contributed to the loss of orchids - especially in the first half of the 20th century, but I think stories of orchid hunters decimating the orchid populations of the
everglades today are slightly exaggerated and hasn't been going on for at least the last 20 years.

Cliff Pelchat

Please continue - this has been a fascinating learning experience. (by the way, you can change the subject of posting, and then you can post several posts in a row as long as the subject of postings between subsequent posts do not match.)

Third post - AJ Hicks Orchid Seedbank Project
I sure do hate to sound like an ignorant git, but there's one thing for sure: P. lindenii grows like a weed in flask. Stick them on almost any kind of media, and they grow as fast as anything else I've ever seen. Not fussy at all. The only problem with them is that one must transfer them to fresh media about every 12-14 months as the flasks dehydrate. Left to get too try, the nutrients get too concentrated and they go into protocorm multiplication rather than growth. Sigma P-1056 does just fine.
Now, when de-flasked... phew. That's a whole 'nother mess. About 15 years ago, I acquired two very small seedlings that had been stuck to small slabs of wood; my greenhouse at the time had almost no humidity, but they survived for over a year. Then I went off to college, and they got sold with just about everything else I could bear to part with. They weren't doing well at the time, that's for sure.
There's obviously something going on in flask that isn't happening when they are deflasked. The most obvious culprit is humidity; leafless orchids being what they are, there's virtually no ability to store water. If this were the only factor, there shouldn't be a problem. However, the Okefenokee is a region that has very high humidity, along with a diurnal temperature swing that (probably) deposits dew every morning. The same way some desert plants (and many epiphytic orchids) rely upon the morning dew, perhaps this is essential for lindenii.
This still doesn't solve the problem; I am sure there are growers who have acquired lindenii seedlings that perished horribly despite 100% humidity. Moreover, as this species seems to tolerate *some* dry days, along with the fact that some growers and naturalists report that this plant enjoys the occasional sunny, bright day (where the roots aren't sopping wet) may be very important.
People also focus on nutrient availability. I'm not going out on a limb when I say that, growing on pond apples like they do, there's not a lot of nutrients available. Focusing on how much fertilizer we can dump on these guys is, right now, not a critical issue. However, the *availability* may be. I know nothing about pond apple, but do know that many elements are only available in limited pH ranges. I suspect that pond apple and other preferred hosts of lindenii differ in the pH of their bark. Perhaps they are more alkaline; I don't know. Anyone have anything intelligent on this?
A number of people claim that mycorrhizal symbionts are important to the health of this species. I doubt this. Other species that rely strongly upon a mycorrhizal symbiont perish very quickly when their symbionts experience problems. I hate making blanket statements like this, but I don't think lindenii dies fast enough for it to be a myco problem. Moreover, allied species (such as Dendrophylax funalis, which has even been crossed with P. lindenii) show no such "requirement." This is a lame statement to make without proffering better evidence, but it's my gut feeling. Until we get evidence either way (which would require some field work by one of those symbiont pros, which won't happen any time soon), we'll probably never know.
Until such time as we find a larger facility, we will be unable to experiment with the P. lindenii seedlings we have on hand. However, if I had the resources, the determination, and the time, I would recommend construction of a simple environmental chamber with the following considerations:
The chamber would be constructed with an ultrasonic humidifier core (the same type as sold for terrariums) that creates the "fog" humidity. This would be on a timer set to click on for about 1/2 to 1 hour every day, right before the artificial lights kick on. Second timer kicks on to provide 12-14 hours of illumination from fluorescent tubes, approximately 8 to 14" away. Two hours after the lights kick on, a small muffin fan (the sort used to cool computers) would kick on, just long enough to dry out the surface of the bark (maybe 15-20 minutes). Cycle repeats each day.
Wish I had the time.

Cheers,

-AJHicks
Orchid Seedbank Project

Fourth Post- Nicholas Plummer

In 1999 or 2000, I split a flask of Mick Fournier's
Dendrophylax (Polyrrhiza) lindenii with another local
grower. I still have four of the plants. They are
definitely the slowest growing of any orchid that I've
tried, and they seem to have stalled out with roots
about 3" long. At this rate, I do not think they will
ever bloom. The Caribbean species like D. fawcetti
and D. funalis seem to be better suited to
cultivation.

One person who has seen them growing in the wild told
me that they typically grow fairly close to the water
line, and he thinks they tend to remain constantly wet
due to capillary action. Another person told me that
when he has seen them, they usually seem to have the
growing point against the tree trunk, so that new
roots emerge underneath the older roots. My usual
inclination when mounting orchids is to orient the
growing tip of the stem away from the mount, but it
does appear that at least a couple of my surviving
plants are in the reverse orientation.

Nick

Fifth post- Russell Clusman is a photographer (among other things who lives in Miami)

Oak Hill Gardens successfully flasks and mounts Dendrophylax lindenii (ghost orchid) of which I have seen their flowering plants at the Miami Fruit and Spice Park orchid sale and show. Greg who works at Oak Hills' greenhouse may be a good resource to consult. They mount them on cork slabs and branches and grow them in the drier end of the greenhouse where they receive a lot of light and good humidity but no overwatering. I have heard that Ron Coleman has raised and flowered a ghost at his greenhouse in Arizona so he may be another source. I spend a lot of time in the Fakahatchee Strand (FSSP) and we are in the process of data collection. The info we record is as follows: 1) type of host tree 2) height from base 3) number of live roots and condition (robust vs good vs sorry) 4) dbh -diameter of tree @ breast height 5) average water depth below specimen 6) compass orientation on tree (north,s,e,w side of tree) 7) # of old flower spikes 8) length of longest root. We have recorded well over 300 subjects and info pertinent to your email is as follows: 1) 85% are found on Popash (Fraxinus caroliniana) 2) most are 5.5-6.5 ft high on host 3) most have a 16-24 inch average annual water depth below them. We have recorded data on a small group of very young subjects and to date we have a ½" growth rate per year and not on last years growth but on the new roots that emerge. Subjectively speaking, in the Fakahatchee they are generally found on the outskirts of deeper water areas (> 24") and very rarely do we find them growing just above the waterline and it is my opinion by observation that they do not stay constantly wet but they do need high humidity. I do agree that new roots emerge from the bottom of the central hub. Successful pollination in the FSSP is infrequent and had "heard" that a plant may need at least 2 open flowers or several plants with open flowers in close proximity to produce a pod. I have attempted to grow them over the last 6 years but to date have been unsuccessful. Had one growing for 2 years but then it croaked (my fault). Russ

Sixth Post- AJ Hicks, Orchid Seedbank Project

At 11:49 AM 2/5/2007, you wrote:
>Polyrrhiza lindenii is a native American orchid that may or may not have
>been successfully cultivated beyond the flask. I have never tried. I
>know Mick Fournier of HBI claims to grow them. For sometime I have seen
>on the Oak Hill Gardens' website that they sell Polyrrhiza lindenii
>mounted. Has anyone on this list ever bought one mounted?

The story behind P. lindenii is a long and painful one. I
will give only the briefest possible notes here.

The species germinates and grows readily in flask. It goes
on to multiply rapidly in the absence of exogenous hormones (!),
producing large numbers of propagules when "fed" with fresh medium.
On fresh, "hot" meduim, it will proliferate; as the medium ages, the
proliferation reduces dramatically, forming larger plants with
well-formed roots. As the medium ages more, the roots stop growing.
If moved to fresh medium, they undergo more proliferation and growth.

It is unknown if such plants can flower. When propagated to
bajeezus and back, sympodial orchids in meristem culture frequently
result in "mules," failing to flower. However, this can be a function
of excess concentrations of applied hormones; as noted above, P.
lindenii does fine without them. (This seems to be common to at least
some other leafless orchids, including Dendrophylax salleii; other
Vandaeae seem to do the same thing under certain circumstances, so it
is consistent with both the morphology and phyllogeny of the leafless
orchids- there's probably something to this, but nothing that's going
to lead to a Nobel anytime soon.)

As a result, it is possible to maintain P. lindenii in
near-perpetual cultivation (I have some containers with plants that
have been maintained for >7 years now, subcultured as needed),
"laying" golden eggs, i.e.: more undifferentiated protocormic material.

>I have always
>wondered if the roots are actually growing on the mount showing at least
>a limited time of successful cultivation outside the flask or are the
>plants freshly mounted. "We got another order for Polyrrhiza lindenii.
>Deflask one, mount it and ship it." Also if Polyrrhiza lindenii is not
>being successfully cultivated outside the flasks, one has to wonder
>where are all the seeds are coming from?

So- the bit above explains the seeds. The other aspect-
maintenance of plants on grapevine, i.e.: Oak Hill- is pretty
straightforward. I know this as I've twice met and discussed the
aspects of the plants at Oak Hill with Herman Pigors, the man who
runs the show. They, too, note proliferation of maintained cultures,
which were reportedly started from seed collected from plants in
cultivation there at Oak Hill. They de-flask and wire to grapevine; I
didn't ask as to how long they are maintained prior to sale, but one
would suppose they sell fast, and are therefore not established very long.

At the very least, I think it safe to say that Herman is not
flying to the Florida swamps, seeking out capsule-bearing wild
plants, nicking the capsules and returning to Illinois. This I would
put to a distant second to the other theory, which is precisely the
same as above except instead of flying, he teleports.

>I think Sam's idea of having a list of native American orchid species
>and their propagation status is a good one that the NOC should take up.
>Maybe the conservation committee? It would help to see where we are with
>ex situ conservation of native orchids and hopefully help buyers of
>native American orchid species be more successful with the orchids they
>purchase. As AJ, Jerry and Wayne have pointed out having orchids in ex
>situ is important for increasing the knowledge base for propagation and
>in general and for possible reintroduction into the wild. This is ex
>situ conservation.

It'd be nice to have a database, but it won't happen.

1) Propagators are too busy.
2) Propagation status is in constant flux (for an 'available
plants' database). I may have Species X right now, but I may not in 6
months. Most greenhouses don't have a catalog good for more than a
short period of time; propagators are even worse.
3) Propagators won't give up secrets (for a 'propagation
techniques' database).

I'd settle for a list of vendors for which someone with a
head on their shoulders can vouch. "Been there. Saw the lab. Guy's
legit." But that won't happen either as those who are denied the list
would just sue and shut the thing down. Trust but verify, but damn
the diggers altogether.

-AJHicks
Chandler, AZ

The End
Thanks Calvin for the tip.

very interesting info on this thread :-)

I've heard that it's better to let them dry a little from time to time, so that those roots don't stay sopping wet.

Here's a pic of the seedlings at Oak Hill, and here's a shot of one at their sales booth.

The recent Dendrophylax (Polyrrhiza) lindenii in the Fakahatchee Strand (Corkscrew I think) just off the boardwalk that was in the news was about 50 feet in the air. It was blooming profusely this past year and was first noticed this year. All report are that it is big. From the sound of it it gets a lot of light, high humidity, and the rain fall pattern of the region, which is rainstorms in the afternoon but not necessarily everyday and some weeks without rain.
If were to grow Dendrophylax (Polyrrhiza) lindenii, I would grow highlight, intermediate, and I would research the rain pattern of southern Florida (west side) and mimic that rain pattern throughout the year.

Just bumping this thread to see if anyone out there is still growing these guys! WC I know you had some in vase culture - any updated photos? Your links in this post are all broken.

I got a few from oakhill and I'm thinking of trying a few different things with them. From what I've seen so far and read above, humidity is absolutely critical. The mounts from OH come with several plants on a stick, and one of the ghosts fell off the mount without me noticing. This was 2 days ago, and I found it today on the floor, 100% desicated. :*( Luckily it was just a small runty looking one, but I will be keeping humidity VERY high with these guys from now on!