Florida Native Orchids: another species to search for in the Evergaldes?

[mremensnyder]

Three weeks in, and the ghost orchids look fantastic. I have only seen maybe two of over 100 shrivel. I think this new outdoor terrarium setup will be successful and will just have to be relocated (pick up and set somewhere else, easy) a few times per year due to changing sunlight levels and temperatures. Going forward, this type of setup will likely become the "cornerstone" of my leafless orchid cultivation practice. Bare root plants spread out on hardware cloth a few inches above water in a large clear plastic tub with a screen over the top.

The leafless that I acquire already firmly coiled around sticks and other mounts will be gradually adapted to a variation on this concept that will accommodate small hanging mounts.

[IncurablePlantHead]

Great to hear of your success with the new plants and your improved growing technique. I will be pleased to hear of your continuing story with the leafless ones!

[IncurablePlantHead]

How are your ghosts growing? Haven't heard a recent update. Hope all is well!

[mremensnyder]

What a coincidence that you ask. Without knowing you were going to request an update, I came back to this thread to post one today!

So, all of the ghost orchid seedlings from the flask have died I'm not sure but I suspect it was from multiple factors, such as too much sunlight, disease and possibly too much heat (?). I just lost the last couple within the past two weeks. I tried to baby them with seemingly perfect conditions, I really did.

Most of my other leafless are doing well, except my Microcoelia exilis and Microcoelia bulbocalcarata. The first orchid stayed too wet I believe and the second got too warm when I put its terrarium outside to get more sun and humidity.

I am not one to give up easily and i will eventually learn how to achieve the delicate balancing act required to get a ghost orchid to survive and grow.

I decided to order another small ghost from Orchids Ltd. I have had it for 3 days near the bottom of a very tall glass vase with water in the bottom and a hardware cloth floor to hold the orchid and mount above the water. It is mounted on cork and is outside, as temperatures and humidity have been unseasonably warm and humid. I think I had it situated in too much sun as two of the three roots are already clearly not going to make it. The vase is now sitting in mostly shade with just dappled sun. Here is how the new ghost looks as of late this afternoon (sorry, the photo came out worse than it appeared on my phone).

[mremensnyder]

It's still a big question whether my new Dendrophylax lindenii seedling will survive, as the longest I have kept my Orchids Ltd acquisitions from this year (5 plants) alive is 4 days before they died. The Apr '14 purchase survived for one year, however. Last night and today so far, the goal was to let the plant dry out and it has been slow to do so in near 100% humidity conditions at the bottom of the terrarium vase it is in. It is finally dry now and I am debating on whether to let it get wet from rainfall later today, in which case it will likely stay wet all night, or put it under cover, since it is definitely in a microclimate with enough humidity. With the 2 foot tall vase terrarium (hardware cloth cover with a light topping of spanish moss), I am virtually certain I have the humidity and stagnant yet fresh air parameters correct. I can easily ensure that the temperatures stay in the optimal range for ghost orchids and will keep the plant out of any direct sun (bright shade). Now I just need to overcome:

1. The fact that something about the conditions the plant was in for the first 3 days caused 2 of the 3 roots to shrivel, putting it at a disadvantage, despite it now being in ideal conditions (finally) with one healthy root left.

2. The reality that ghost seedlings/young plants have a high mortality rate in general (and I currently have only one plant), so they may very well die even if everything regarding culture is done correctly. This is debatable though, as I have read some expert's opinions that if one truly provides ideal conditions for survival and growth, most plants will survive.

On a different note, I wanted to provide some info to assist others on here who are growing Mystacidium gracile. This species is reported to be a cool grower. My experience over the past several months, however, indicates that it will tolerate warm to hot conditions up to 90F as long as it is kept humid, in moderate light levels and watered with rain water or distilled. Until the past month, I had kept it hanging on the side of the tall vase with a couple inches of water at the bottom, inside on a bright west facing window sill. Temperatures ranged from 66F-77F, except sometimes in the 80s when I put the vase outside during super high humidity periods (as mentioned, the same conditions very effectively killed my Microcoelia bulbocalcarata, which is clearly a true obligate cool grower). During the past month it has been kept in the same vase outdoors, where it has seen highs in the 80s (up to 90F+ on at least 4 occasions), with some direct sunlight exposure. The plant has never looked better, and has to be about the healthiest, seemingly easiest to grow "leafless" orchids I have. It has 5 leaves. If you have warm, humid conditions suitable for most other leafless orchids (and you can actually find this plant for sale), give it a try. Now as far as flowering the plant, I have no idea how successful I will be.

[jdhuyvetter]

Do you have access to live Spanish moss? I went through several flasks and lost all of them. I now have the seedlings in a bed of live Spanish moss and they seem to be doing well. All have new growth.

[mremensnyder]

Jd,

I have lots of spanish moss hanging from the trees in my yard, and must put 10-20 pounds of it out with the yard trash each week.

Your ghost orchid seedlings should do really well in beds of live spanish moss, as everything I have read suggests this as the best way to keep young plants. How long have your plants been out of flask?

I have finally managed to keep a ghost orchid alive for more than a few days. I received the plant I have now on November 11 and for the first couple weeks I kept it on a square of 1/4" hardware cloth sitting just above water at the bottom of a tall 24-30" straight glass vase from Michael's. A member on here was nice enough to send me some really nice pignut hickory bark slabs. I attached the ghost to the center of the largest piece (caudex facing down) with cyanoacrylate superglue gel on Nov 27 and still have the plant and mount by the window in the glass vase. I am trying to follow the "humid but not wet" advice so it does not rot or get mold growth. A full update with photos will be posted once I've had it for a month.

I eventually plan to keep a bit of spanish moss on the bark slab, once the orchid has grown a big larger. My only hesitation with it has been that in the past I have had it quickly die when placed with some of my leafless, including some ghost orchid babies, which also died. I have no idea whether the spanish moss was kept too wet or if it is just really intolerant of fertilizer? I think the former was the reason it died, but I definitely don't want dead/dying spanish moss draped over my ghost. I suspect that once conditions are right for a ghost orchid, they should also be favorable for spanish moss.

I am really glad this ghost orchid survived, since I do not know of anywhere to purchase another plant in the United States at the moment, though I am confident more plants will show up for sale by spring. Surprisingly, Harrisella porrecta is still available though.

Good luck with your plants jd. Post pictures if you can.