Orchids for a Hot Room

[SaraJean]

Saka, I grow the Paph fairrieanum outdoors the majority of the year. My summer temps get up to 38°c regularly, occasionally higher July through September. We don’t really cool down much at night either. This species is definitely a cool grower, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for hot climates, but I think some of the breeders have been working towards an easier to grow and heat tolerant fairrieanum. I’m definitely one of those “what can I get away with” type growers and, so far, I’m getting away with this one.

As I was looking at some of my other stuff in the courtyard, have you thought of any Coelogynes? I have a few that grow very well in those temps with lots of water like the C. pandurata, usitae, and xyrekes. The pandurata is an absolute beast of an orchid and gets enormous under Phal type light. The leaves and bulbs are quite pretty and tropical looking on this one. I does need brighter light to bloom though. Those other two stay smaller and will do well with less light.

[Bulbopedilum]

Originally Posted by SaraJean

Saka, I grow the Paph fairrieanum outdoors the majority of the year. My summer temps get up to 38°c regularly, occasionally higher July through September. We don’t really cool down much at night either. This species is definitely a cool grower, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for hot climates, but I think some of the breeders have been working towards an easier to grow and heat tolerant fairrieanum. I’m definitely one of those “what can I get away with” type growers and, so far, I’m getting away with this one.

As I was looking at some of my other stuff in the courtyard, have you thought of any Coelogynes? I have a few that grow very well in those temps with lots of water like the C. pandurata, usitae, and xyrekes. The pandurata is an absolute beast of an orchid and gets enormous under Phal type light. The leaves and bulbs are quite pretty and tropical looking on this one. I does need brighter light to bloom though. Those other two stay smaller and will do well with less light.

I see, that's surprising, I would expect a cool grower to just die at temperatures of 38°C (Which I have luckily not experienced yet!), regularly no less! I'm surprised you managed to get away with it.

Thanks for reminding me the genus Coelogyne exists, I forget about it often for some reason. Also, think you meant Coelogyne usitana.