Good Miniature Species for Beginners?

[TOMMYMIAMI]

[nikkik]

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

Oh WOW! nikkik I love that orchid!!! I like that in some of the photos I found, it looks sort of like a little pot of grass before it blooms and then all of these blooms crawl out between the leaves. The way that a lot of them were pictured seemed so much more natural looking than my phals! It's just beautiful and that would be very different from my mini phals for sure.

This is one of my favorites, but even when it's in bloom people tend to gravitate towards my Psychopsis (it's neighbor) instead, since it looks like a bug and has vibrant colors! My poor little mini doesn't get the attention it deserves.

[RandomGemini]

I'm definitely going to have to do some research on that orchid. I've just about got my heart set on it now.

The psychopsis are unique for sure! I can see how they would be a conversation starter!

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Or RandomGemini, so here are few pics of the mini's I got in last month plus. I truly GOT TO THE MINI'S only in July, and now I am hooked. I created mini vase vivarium, than wood/glass terrarium (there are threads with pictures of them), and now I am going bigger and hopefully even better, and created hygrolon cylinder that is in tall vase. I just finished covering hygrolon with dehydrated dry moss and mounted the first 3 mini's. I am placing some pics of the mini's here into your thread, and than I will start new thread about hygrolon cylinder:-) All the mini's were introduced to me here at the OB, by amazing members:-) So far, I have and LOVE Haraella Retrocalla - 3 pieces, and all IN BLOOM and with more spikes, love that little bugger - than Lepanthopses Astrophora, also amazing, and BOTH OF THEM very recommended for you, I have also great small Bulbophyllum Rosary Beads (the liana looking one), and today I added also Pleurothallis Liptifolia. I would definitely start with Haraella and Lepanthopses, both of them should be doing great at the place you want to have them, and they are extremely cute as well, and blooming nearly whole year around. I have more mini's on the way or on my list, so will be adding slowly to my collection later:-) Enjoy the pics and Good Luck with your new mini babies!

[GardenTheater]

Aerangis luteo-able v. Rhodsticta, the tiny orchid with the long name, is gorgeous and grows in Phal light. Angraecum didieri does too. Didieri has a beautiful scent in the evening and a large flower and nectary relative to the size of the plant.

[RandomGemini]

I'm having a hard time finding info on the capanemia superflua from orchid vendors. I've got an email in to an orchid vendor that is surprisingly close to me (who knew that you could grow orchids in Montana?) While I can find a ton of pictures and I'm totally in love it and it seems like it would be a great fit for my light and the care level I can offer, but since no one has them in stock right now, I'll have to wait until I find one. Are they a species that's only available seasonally?

The Aerangis luteo-alba v Rhodsticta though, seems to be available everywhere and is also lovely. I'm not typically a fan of white flowers, but that orange dot in the center just makes it! However, I've found that it only comes mounted. I had planned for this to be a potted garden. Would it be difficult to remove the plant from the mount on arrival and pot it?

I'm not completely against the idea of having mounted orchids, it's just that the lower maintenance of potting is nice. I wonder if it would do well mounted in a terrarium? I could probably come up with a cool jar or vase for it.

You guys are awesome!

[GardenTheater]

Parkside Orchids and OrchidWeb have rhodosticta in pots. Good luck with finding the capenemia. The vendor section on this site will have more places you can check.

[Joyorchid]

If you like phals and space is an issue, may I suggest sedirea japonica. They are mini, even an ultra mini if you like that kind of thing, and the flowers are interesting and fragrant. Here's some of mine in their 2 inch pots and a link to their culture requirements:
New World Orchids Sedirea japonica

[Island Girl]

If you look at Andy's orchids, his website is designed so that you can do a search, you type in light requirement (high 'full sun', medium 'bright', or low 'shade'), size requirement - check box at the bottom if you want a mini, and temperature requirement (like warm, intermediate, or cool/cold)... Just fill in those few options (I'd suggest nothing else, so u can get more options plant-wise) And it will show you all the orchids that fit your conditions... It's great for getting cultural advice too. Also, Jewel orchids should work in your conditions, they like low light, and phal temps - just do research, cuz there's a few dif genuses & species that are considered "jewel orchids" and I don't think all of them would work, except the most commonly seen ones.

Andy's Orchids - Orchid Species - Orchid search by species, genus, country of origin, care and growing atTRibutes

Here's the search with all the info: ("shade", "warm", "mini", "easy grower"): Andy's Orchids - Orchid Species - Power Search results