As Gary pointed out there are some advantages to growing orchids in pots. However, one significant advantage to growing orchids on a tree is no repotting. Most orchid growers automatically groan when they hear that word. Actually, probably everybody with repotting to do just groaned right now when they read this. That's the thing about orchids in pots...you have to repot them on a regular basis...especially in warmer climates like Florida.. If you don't, then the bark turns to soil and your orchids rot. When you grow an orchid on a tree you don't have to ever worry about repotting. With all that room to grow you can end up with a really nice specimen plant. For example...here's a photo of a nice specimen Oncidium blooming on a tree and here's another photo of an even larger specimen Oncidium blooming on a tree. Too see more photos of orchids growing on trees check out the Landscaping with Orchids group.

Love the Den. laevifolium but it might not like Florida. My vote goes for the various clones of Onc. Twinkle. A well grown plant is a delight, compact with lots of flowers. How come people keep calling Sharry Baby, Sherry Baby? Who started this nonsense. Talking about Onc. Sharry Baby here is a poor photo of one in an orchid display. It certainly gives an idea of how big an in-flower plant can be. The only reason i'm getting rid of mine is that an in-spike plant is just to tall to take to an orchid meeting in a compact car. a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsos/2482742618/" title="Strathfield Plaza Show 2008 by wsos, on Flickr">

There is an orchid society in Jacksonville and according to google would be a 40-45 minute drive. Meetings are second Tuesday of every month and they have an annual orchid show in March. www.jaxorchidsociety.org Orchids that hang down are Coelogyne, Cycnoches, and many others but I think what you are specifically looking for are stanhopeas. Stanhopeas are wonderful and many are fragrant but the flowers last no more than a week. Orchids that grow best mounted are ones that absolutely must dry out between waterings. Can all epiphytic orchids be grown on a mount? Probably but some would have to be watered so often that it becomes unworkable and besides having a bunch of mounted orchids limits the number of plants one can grow. Most orchids just grow better in a pot and the reason is pot culture enables you to recreate that high level of humidity around the roots that they receive in nature. Which ever situation (pot or mounted) is best for the plant is best for flower production. Maryanne is right about Laelia anceps, it is probably the best starter mounted orchid and you can keep it outdoors all year. It tolerates lots of sun and rain in summer and temps into the 20's (when acclimated) in winter. As long as it stays outdoors from summer through winter it will handle a hard frost. They tend to bloom in late fall to early winter and are commonly sold at orchid shows or online.

I have over 1,000 orchids, all except the Cymbidiums, a few species in moss and a few Australian Dendrobiums are mounted. A friend of mine has 1,000 plus in pots, he started repotting 1 month ago, he is only half way through as we speak. I don't have a repotting bench, no montains of bark new and old and have not repotted an orchid since Jan 2,000 when I cut myself badly wrestling a pot bound D speciosum out of a pot with a sharp tool of sorts. I decided at that time that there will be no more repotting, 90% are mounted, the rest are in rock. I never regretted that decision. I even have some Cymbidiums mounted as an experiment and they are doing fine. I would like to substitute the words 'Bare root growing' for 'mounting'. Since they are not parasitic, an epiphytic orchid derives only one thing from its host. A place to live and support so it does not fall to the forest floor in a storm. If you reduce the purpose of mounts to that, it opens all kinds of new possibilities. The plants don't care if they grow on a piece of wood that looks like a branch or pieces of wood that have been cut and reassembled to look like a basket. They grow equally well in an empty plastic basket or for that mater an empty plastic pot. They will grow on an old fridge or a car on blocks with the hood up, they just need support. To prove my point (occasionally I give talks) I have a vigorous catt growing in a suspended old tennis shoe. 5 new leads at this time, should have 5 bunches of purple flowers this fall. Blc Seach Urchin to be exact, but it would work for all of them. I took a bunched up Catt, ran some wires through its root ball and hung it up. That plant is growing on NOTHING. The whole point of this is that the plants don't care what they grow on as long as they are supported. Water, light, temp, food, air movement etc is what makes a sucessful plant. You can let your imagination run wild and mount them on anything that blows your skirts up. List of my favorite mounts: Branches and other pieces of wood with character Wooden baskets Plastic baskets Empty pots with holes drilled in the sides so roots can come out Rocks, lava rocks look really great Trees Houses, nail a few plants to the eves, wooden window frames, etc Fences I don't have cars on blocks with the hood up but they would look a lot better with some Cattleys all over them. 1,000 Orchids 'Missing in Action' sounds about right. Nick