New friend for my Haraella--help me choose!

[Reeses]

Hi everyone,

Hope your summers are going well and not as water-logged as we are here in Ohio!

I received a tiny terrarium from my mom for my birthday (7"wide by 12" long by 10" high with a tapered roof). I am planning to move my Haraella into it soon, once I figure out how to decorate it, and I would like it to have a friend to go in there as well. Perusing Andy's, i got it narrowed down to 3 possibilities, but I can't choose!

1) Den. aberrans. I have been wanting to try a Den for a while, and I love the gorgeous little white blooms!

2) Pleurothallis allenii. I love the shape and color of the little blooms, and I've heard Pleuros can be rewarding

3) Stellis sp. (Mex. sm. green). This one I just think is cute.

Any advice? Anything else I should maybe consider? I want to go with warm growers, low-light to match the conditions of my Haraella. Thanks!

[Leafmite]

My new phase is growing orchids in jars. I just did an order from Andy's for this very purpose.
Here is what I just bought:
Cirrhopetalum tingabarinum
Lepanthes telipogoniflora
(Haraella oderata--I like multiples of great orchids)

I already am growing Haraella rectrocalla and odorata (probably exactly the same orchid) in jars, along with a Platystele stenostachya. The Lepanthes is a little pricy but it blooms all year (and an OS member is growing it in a jar successfully). I bought the Platystele from an OS auction and it has been doing very well these past two months in a jar. Andy's sells it, too. I was told it blooms all the time and, indeed, it keeps getting new buds and blooms...problem is, they are very, very tiny and I am going to need to remember to get a magnifying glass so I can truly enjoy its beauty.
Good luck! Can't wait to see pictures!

---------- Post added at 02:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:00 PM ----------

We are getting a few 'sunny' days here.

---------- Post added at 02:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:03 PM ----------

Opps, I thought you were asking for more suggestions. They all are very nice orchids. I do have the Den. (bought the Microchip and both parents) but I don't think they are too happy. I have them outside for the summer (warm, high humidity, good light). I am doing much better with the other Dens I am growing. :|
Good luck setting it up. It should be a fun project. They can really be beautiful--I have seen some and seen pictures of others.

[Reeses]

Thanks, Leafmite! That Cirrhopetalum is very cool! I don't typically like Bulbos,but the color on that is very neat.

Sorry to hear your Dens aren't too happy maybe I won't get that one, then. I'm looking for something not too fussy.

And yes we are finally having sunny weather here! About time!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I have a few suggestions for you Reese. They are not on your list.

1. Den normanbyense: It is extremely tolerant of abuse. It is in the same section of Dendrobium as Dendrobium aberrans, (section Latouria). The flowers are showy for a plant that gets no larger than 5 inches tall. I posted a pic of it with measurements of the flower here on the OB. You may do a search on this plant. They bloom fairly easily and is so sturdy that they will not go into shock and drop buds when they are being repotted in bud. I sold mine a while ago. But I know this plant is very, very strong. Much stronger than any other Dendrobium in the section Latouria I've ever grown. Intermediate to warm. Not picky about humidity at all. Moderately bright indirect light.

2. Den unicum small sturdy and colorful. Has a distinct dormancy period where the canes will look like they're dead, but they're not. Temperature tolerant, (45 F - 95 F). Moderately bright indirect light. Not picky about humidity. Small sized plant.

3. Den venustum. Temperature tolerant. Goes dormant in the winter. Very resilient. Moderately bright indirect light. Small sized plant.

Out of these three, Den normanbyense can be recommended for an absolute newbie to Dendrobiums in section Latouria.

None of these need to go in a terrarium.

However, if you want terrarium friendly plants, then maybe Trichoglottis triflora. The flowers smile at you.

[Subrosa]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I have a few suggestions for you Reese. They are not on your list.

1. Den normanbyense: It is extremely tolerant of abuse. It is in the same section of Dendrobium as Dendrobium aberrans, (section Latouria). The flowers are showy for a plant that gets no larger than 5 inches tall. I posted a pic of it with measurements of the flower here on the OB. You may do a search on this plant. They bloom fairly easily and is so sturdy that they will not go into shock and drop buds when they are being repotted in bud. I sold mine a while ago. But I know this plant is very, very strong. Much stronger than any other Dendrobium in the section Latouria I've ever grown. Intermediate to warm. Not picky about humidity at all. Moderately bright indirect light.

2. Den unicum small sturdy and colorful. Has a distinct dormancy period where the canes will look like they're dead, but they're not. Temperature tolerant, (45 F - 95 F). Moderately bright indirect light. Not picky about humidity. Small sized plant.

3. Den venustum. Temperature tolerant. Goes dormant in the winter. Very resilient. Moderately bright indirect light. Small sized plant.

Out of these three, Den normanbyense can be recommended for an absolute newbie to Dendrobiums in section Latouria.

On Andy's website under the description for D. unicum it actually says "may look dead but probably isn't"! I love mine!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Reeses

Thanks, Leafmite! That Cirrhopetalum is very cool! I don't typically like Bulbos,but the color on that is very neat.

Sorry to hear your Dens aren't too happy maybe I won't get that one, then. I'm looking for something not too fussy.

And yes we are finally having sunny weather here! About time!

Forgot…

The reason I didn't recommend any of the Pleurothallids on your list was because you mentioned, "I'm looking for something not too fussy." Pleuros love water. If you are too busy or not into watering plants quite possibly everyday or twice a day, (depending on the heat), this group of orchids is not for you.

Btw, Bulbos don't all stink. Some do smell like fresh meat or dead fish left out in the sun. Some smell like fruit. Others don't have a fragrance humans can detect at all.

If you change your mind about Bulbophyllums. Maybe Bulbophyllum catenulatum would be a nice one. This orchid has a more classical orchid flower shape to it. A couple others might be Bulbophyllum alagense or Bulb laxiflorum. Andy's doesn't have Bulb laxiflorum listed, but I know he has these for sure.

Originally Posted by Subrosa

On Andy's website under the description for D. unicum it actually says "may look dead but probably isn't"! I love mine!

Yeah, I can see why, these orchids are so fun.

[Reeses]

Wow Phillip thank you so much!! I love the normanbyenes! I had never heard of that. It sounds like a great candidate i love my Haraella, but sometimes i'm not the best mom to it, so thank you for suggesting something easy-going. I have my Haraella so the bottom of the stick sits in a small pool of water that wicks up, then i give it a day or two to dry out. Sometimes i worry it's too wet, but it has been rewarding me with leaves and had two spikes :shrug: i really like the normanbyese. Thank you! I talked myself out of a MicroChip once--i can see why i like this one haha

[Leafmite]

Good luck with your new orchid!
I can't wait to see pictures when you have it all established!