Tough Orchid Suggestions

[Ernie]

Looking for suggestions on orchids we might try naturalizing in the yard. Either in the ground or on trees. Lots of nooks on the palms that bromeliads have been loving. Would need to be pretty rugged. Summers are hot, 90+ F, bright, and humid and winters are dry, breezy, and mild but we get several nights near or slightly below freezing. Have both full sun and bright shady spots and everywhere in between. Would certainly do the typical tricks to protect from extreme cold, but ideal candidates wouldn't mind some light frost once or thrice a winter. Will consider both hybrids and species. The brighter and showier the better.

Already have some Spathoglottis planted and they've done great through our couple frosts with NO protection! Haven't planted the Phaiocalanthes yet, but will try. Already have a ghost out there too. And did find an Arundina (bamboo orchid) but won't plant in the ground until spring.

Have some parvis in pots that have gotten pretty chilly and did fine too, but I love them too much to risk full exposure yet.

Vanda hybrids with lots of coerulea seem to take the chill well too.

How about your favorite Encyclia/Prosthecheas? cochleata has naturalized in south FL, but how about something a little flashier.

Epidendrums?

Dendrobiums?

The really neat Habenarias?

Cattleya alliance? Seems terete leaved stuff (B nodosa) might work??? And how about Laelia anceps and its hybrids?

Thanks!

 

[paphioboy]

I do not have personal experience with orchids that grow in cold climates, but these are the ones I find thriving in Adelaide, despite growing in just shadehouse conditions:
1. Cymbidiums?
2. Dendrobium (Thelychiton) speciosum, kingianum, delicatum and related hybrids
3. Laelia anceps
4. Schomburgkia species - not sure if they take temps down to freezing
5. Not a showy one, but very fragrant, might raise interest when it flowers - neofinetia falcata
6. I suppose many of the aerides and rhynchostylis from more mountainous regions would do well - Rhyn gigantea etc..

 

[cnycharles]

what about neo's? tom grows them on sides of trees in japan, even that other nice phal-looking orchid that you would think wouldn't take cold, he puts on trees (has very nice fragrance, my brain has shut down for the night! )

 

[Kevin]

Well, just from the time I had down in Miami and the Everglades, I would go with Encyclia tampensis and cochleata, Cyrtopodium punctatum and Schomburgkia (not sure which - maybe any?). You already have Spathoglottis, so that's good. I think the Laelia anceps types might do well, as would the B. nodosa. If you can get a good sized Cyrtopodium punctatum, that would be stunning! Also Oncidium luridum. Saw a massive one in the Everglades. Stunning. That's about all I can say.

 

[emydura]

I do not have personal experience with orchids that grow in cold climates, but these are the ones I find thriving in Adelaide, despite growing in just shadehouse conditions:
1. Cymbidiums?
2. Dendrobium (Thelychiton) speciosum, kingianum, delicatum and related hybrids
3. Laelia anceps
4. Schomburgkia species - not sure if they take temps down to freezing
5. Not a showy one, but very fragrant, might raise interest when it flowers - neofinetia falcata
6. I suppose many of the aerides and rhynchostylis from more mountainous regions would do well - Rhyn gigantea etc..

I agree with 1 and 2. Dendrobium speciosum is one of the toughest plants of all so should thrive in your conditions. It is commonly grown in the garden in Australia.

David

 

[John M]

When my greenhouse froze, the temp went down to -1*C in the middle and colder around the outside walls. I had about a dozen Cattleya intermedias in different locations all around the perimeter of the greenhouse and they were completely untouched by the cold. I also had other stuff that was damaged that did come back. Trouble with them was it took them 1 to 2 years to begin blooming again. That timetable is no good if they get a chill at least once every winter.

Edit: How about Coelogyne cristata? It's supposed to get snow where it grows naturally.

 

[paphioboy]

...even that other nice phal-looking orchid that you would think wouldn't take cold,

Charles, do you mean sedirea japonica..?

Other suggestions:
- some of the clumping species and hybrid dendrobiums: thyrsiflorum, farmeri, fimbriatum, densiflorum (I think I saw one growing on someone's rooftop here or in flickr!)
This link is simply awesome for landscaping with orchids:
http://flickriver.com/photos/epiphyte78/favorites/

- Brassocattleya Maikai 'Mayumi' - fast and very prolific grower, which is very free flowering... Brassolaelia Yellow Bird is a similar one..

 

[Bolero]

I would try the dendrobiums first, they are pretty tough. If that works out then experiment with others.

 

[Shiva]

Don't forget Den kingianum and Laelia anceps would definitely be happy there. Brassavola nodosa may produce keikis instead of flowers when growing cold. Some sobralias will make good. If you have a pond with constantly running water, you may try some Disas on the edge.

 

[JeanLux]

Some coelogynes like cristata don't mind light frost Imo!!! Jean

 

[cliokchi]

HI Ernie,

some V. coerulea species, v. coerulescens, parviflora, lilacina, pumila,denisoniana
holcoglossum kimbaliana, subulifolium, amesianum
Den. aggregatum major, wardianum,pierardii, anosmum,fimbriatum,pulchellum,chrysotoxum
Ascocentrum ampullaceum, ampullaceum 'red from china', curvifolium, miniatum
severall species from Madagascar
but you need to use the right host tree, not every tree is suitable
I use mango trees, lamyai trees malalucca types but you need a bark with lost of little ribulets for the roots to cling on to
cliokchi

 

[Dido]

The Link is really nice.
Especially the photo of the Oncidium sphacelatum

If you like to grow orchids outside in your area try it with the european kinds, like serapias, himantoglossum. Some orchis and orphis should do well too, but some need lower temp in winter. Or bletilla, calanthe should do really nice in your area.
Snow is just melting here, and I see that most calanthe ( some now for 3 years) I tryed new are survived till now, so tricarniata, discolor, bicolor, smithii, japonica, arcuata and some hybrids grow well for me at -16C.
I have a Cymbidum gorengii and a kind I dont really know growing outside, the second have this year a bud, will post it, so hopefull will know what it is.

 

[Ernie]

Awesome suggestions all! Keep 'em coming!

Remember our extreme central Florida summer heat too. Disas would likely keel over above 90 although we do have a small pond.

Forgot about Bletilla striata. My dad has a huge clump he grew from a couple bulbs I gave him years ago. Will get a chunk from him.

European orchids (Ophris and friends)- I've never seen them offered here. Will look deeper.

 

[Ernie]

Stanhopeas and Gongoras?

 

[NYEric]

too hot!

 

[etex]

My Stanhopea wardii did fine all summer, with several days of temps over 100,hanging from a hickory tree. Was also one of the last I brought in, when temps in low 40's.
One orchid that really liked the cold spell is Den Dream 'Ace'- it's full of buds now.

 

[Brian Monk]

Ernie -

I have lived in Orlando. A couple of suggestions and opinions. Don't frget that few (if any) of the plants mentioned so far are freeze-tolerant. Even the Florida natives are not freeze tolerant, they imply exist in niches where freezes don't occur. I have always wanted to naturalize with Paphs. Some strap-leaved species might do well. Any of the Cym. ensifolium hybrids would be worth a try. Den. speciosum is a must-try; a friend of mine has one outside in the Keys, on a tree. It blooms every year.

 

[Dido]

Awesome suggestions all! Keep 'em coming!

Remember our extreme central Florida summer heat too. Disas would likely keel over above 90 although we do have a smal

European orchids (Ophris and friends)- I've never seen them offered here. Will look deeper.

The heat for sure is not a problem fore the italian and the greace kinds.
Serapias are really nice and have a summer dormancy.
No special soil is needed only inorganic with 5% of soil.
they are wintergreen and survive short cold piriots if is not going to deep.

if you need some page me. :wink:

Did you tried it with Paph Armeniacum, because I brought my ones late inn
and they did fine, had -2C fore a few days.

 

[Rick]

Hey Ernie

How much difference in climate is there between Orlando and Homestead.

Robert Fuchs has a ton of stuff out doors down there, and could give you lots of ideas.

 

[W. Beetus]

I don't know how they would fare, but some bright Epidendrums would be quite showy. If I could grow them outside, I would have a lawn of them...