Hardiest epiphytic orchid?

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by mremensnyder

So, does South Korea have any areas that remain mostly or completely frost free year-round (the type of climate needed to support any epiphytic orchid species I am aware of), or is Pelatantheria scolopendrifolia in a class all its own in terms of cold hardiness for epiphytic orchids?

I'm hardly an expert on this topic, but what I'm seeing online is that Pelatantheria scolopendrifolia has an extremely limited range in South Korea and there are only around 10 documented wild populations, all located in coastal areas and islands.

Checking the climate information for those areas, I'm seeing that they rarely experience temperatures below 0C (32 F), if at all. My guess is, these orchids are probably living in very well protected microclimates that offer a bit of additional protection from the most extreme cold similar to the way many of the North American hardy epiphytes do in the extreme northern parts of their ranges.

I doubt that this species is in a class of its own based on this information, but of course, as I mentioned, I'm not an expert, this is simply based on a few minutes of research.

[plantzzzzz]

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

I'm hardly an expert on this topic, but what I'm seeing online is that Pelatantheria scolopendrifolia has an extremely limited range in South Korea and there are only around 10 documented wild populations, all located in coastal areas and islands.

Checking the climate information for those areas, I'm seeing that they rarely experience temperatures below 0C (32 F), if at all. My guess is, these orchids are probably living in very well protected microclimates that offer a bit of additional protection from the most extreme cold similar to the way many of the North American hardy epiphytes do in the extreme northern parts of their ranges.

I doubt that this species is in a class of its own based on this information, but of course, as I mentioned, I'm not an expert, this is simply based on a few minutes of research.

Pelatantheria scolopendrifolia has also been recorded in Shandong province apparently, which would make it probably the most nothernly occuring epiphytic orchid, if not the coldest. Qingdao, in coastal Shandong, has average lows of -3.3C in january, with a record low of -14C. That's pretty cold.

Unfortunately, it's very hard to find explicit details on the range of this orchid within China for me, so it could potentially occur even colder if it lives in more continental or mountainous parts of the province.

Fred Clarke was doing a talk on native australian dendrobiums and mentioned that Dendrobium falcorostrum might be also be a contender for the hardiest epiphytic orchid.

[stonedragonfarms]

As noted above, the main problem (in most places), isn't the cold per se, it's the precipitation...cool/cold & dry is often not a problem, cool/cold and wet, that's another story...

[Fairorchids]

After suffering a series of freezes in the greenhouse (the last one catastrophical), I can report that the following plants survived:

1st freeze to 31F (-0.5C)
2nd freeze to 28F (-2.2C)
3rd freeze to 18F (-7.8C)

About 12 Neofinetia falcatas (in small net pots, and thus fairly dry). A couple of plants in larger net pots did not make it.
1 Holcoglossum flavescens (mounted, and thus dry)
1 Ascocentrum pusillum (mounted, and thus dry)
1 Vanda Pink Fairy (N falcata x V teres) in small net pot. The mother plant in larger net pot did not make it.
About half of the Cymbidiums have started new growths from back bulbs.
And finally, out of some 6-800 Cattleyas, about 10 plants made it. They seemingly died, but have started to produce some new shoots.

[mremensnyder]

According to the article you linked MrHappyRotter, Pelatantheria scolopendrifolia does have a population in Naju, South Korea. The data I am finding online shows average January temperatures of 25F/40F, roughly the same as New York City in January. Regardless of whether this species exists in a really protected microclimate in Naju or not, this is a seriously cold climate for an epiphytic orchid. This species is most likely the winner for epiphytic orchid found furthest from the equator, if not the cold hardiest as well. That said, I will keep looking for other species found in this part of East Asia.

Plantzzzzz, according to the info you found, the population in Shandong Province experiences similarly cold winters(maybe colder) to the South Korea populations. This orchid must survive being frozen solid to survive in such areas. I think an experiment is in order.

It should be noted that the common Neofinetia falcata is native to parts of South Korea as well, probably similar areas to P. scolopendrifolia.

[Leo H.]

The winner for the most northerly-occuring epiphytic orchid is definetly Dendrobium monilifome which occurs northward into coastal Miyagi prefecture, Japan. That are some impressive 38°N! It does experience freezing temps there on a regular basis in winter, sometimes under wet conditions.

I am currently running a little experiment with keikis of my Den. moniliforme (there is an abundance of those so I could afford that) on a Juneberry bush. Sadly, they got almost completely obliterated by snails soon after being attached and then lost thier roots because I underestimated the strength of my slow-relaese fert. This is why I think they will not make it through winter. Temperature-wise, they survived a freeze of -4C (25F) without harm back in April.
Maybe I'll try it again next year with snail protection and more careful fertilising.

[Leo H.]

I take that back, apparently Thrixspermum japonicum has been found even further north in Iwate prefecture and haa to deal with sleet, frozen fog, hail, snoe, typhoons, heat and multiple weekes around freezing temperature with frequent dips below -5C or 25F in its native habitat according to this article:
Life on the end of a twig, two miniature orchids from southern Japan – Botany Boy
He even mentions it being probably hardy up to zone 8b in warm-summer climates. This means it is nothing for me, but maybe for the coastal South-Eastern USA (provided one finds a reputable source wher plants are not collected from the wild)?

[Ray]

I don’t think “hardiness” should be equated with “cold tolerance”. Many Andean species routinely get cold as ice, but they certainly aren’t “hardy” enough for warm temperatures.

Orchids are “niche plants”. Give them the right conditions and they grow like weeds - hardy as hell - but move outside of those and all bets are off. I suppose “hardy” should be better thought of as “being accepting of the broadest range of conditions”, and I’d put lowly Maudiae paphs in that category.

[Mr.Fakename]

Phalaenopsis finleyi is a very hardy species growing in Laos, Thailand and Vietnam; its natural habitat is temperate and temps range from ~5°C (41°F) to ~35°C (95°F).

[thefish1337]

Australian dendrobiums are pretty temperature tolerant.