Easiest Dracula orchid to grow?

[Purpoh]

Hello! I was wondering if any species/hybrids of Dracula orchids are able to withstand tap water. Can any take lower humidity than 70%? I have about a constant 60% where I can grow them. I have a feeling I should give up on this genus .

[rbarata]

I gave up...in fact never tried any, although there are a few where I buy my non-NoId orchids. But that's just because in summer the lowest temp I can get is 24 ºC (75 F) in the summer coolest days. Also my humidity never goes higher than 35% (summer night time).

[Ray]

Any orchid is considered easy to grow if you give it the cultural parameters is expects. Humidity and water purity are only a fraction of the total...

[ShadePlant]

I have one Dracula and it does well for me. It's Dracula swamp fox (cordobae x Bella). It is in my sun room hanging in a basket. I spray it every day but admit I use distilled water. I have had it almost two years I think and it seems to be always sending out bloom spikes. They seem to always open in the fall and winter. In the summer I get a lot of leaf growth and some spikes. The temps can reach the upper 80's and low 90's in the summer and I turn on a fan for it during the day.

[Purpoh]

Originally Posted by ShadePlant

I have one Dracula and it does well for me. It's Dracula swamp fox (cordobae x Bella). It is in my sun room hanging in a basket. I spray it every day but admit I use distilled water. I have had it almost two years I think and it seems to be always sending out bloom spikes. They seem to always open in the fall and winter. In the summer I get a lot of leaf growth and some spikes. The temps can reach the upper 80's and low 90's in the summer and I turn on a fan for it during the day.

That sounds great! I'm not afraid to used distilled water, and that plant seems pretty hardy temperature-wise. Is this plant small enough to grow on a 2 by 7 inch mount or does it need to be bigger?

[ShadePlant]

You probably could start off with that mount but I think it will get a lot wider over time. It's one that spikes from the bottom so the net basket is just easy in my opinion.

[ShadePlant]

This is in a 4 inch basket.

[Subrosa]

I have 2 Dracula, an anthracina and a soennemarkii. Both have been outside since I was sure they wouldn't take a frost. My humidity varies from the mid 20s% to 100%, averaging around 50%. Temps have gotten as low as 40F and as high as the low 90sF. Being outside there is a reliable temperature drop at night. I use rain water or ro with a small amount of fertilizer at each watering. Since being put out, the anthracina has put on one new growth, started another and is just beginning a spike. I suspect this spike will blast. The soennemarkii has put on multiple new growths, started many more, but has shown no signs of flowering. My hope is to be able to get the plants through summer without setting them back and getting them to flower over the winter. My winter space is reliably cool and humidity is easy to achieve indoors.

[Purpoh]

Wow! Thank you for all the information. I'll dive in to the world of Draculas I suppose.