Best/favorite miniatures?

[Zabeta]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the market for some orchids (say, up to 10), and I want to focus on minis. Do you have any favorites that you like to grow? I mean true minis, not compact growers.

I'd like to acquire only those that can do okay in heat and with low humidity if needed. However, I will research all the suggestions, so don't worry about only suggesting ones that fall into that category.

Thanks!

[jkofferdahl]

There are some wonderful plants you could add! Over the past year or so I've really gotten into minis (I am building a new light table for them), so this is an area I'm pretty excited about, though I've grown a few over my decades. I can only mention ones I grow or have grown, of course, but probably my all-time favorite is Zygostates alleniana. The plant itself in less than an inch tall, and blooms clouds of small, white flowers with yellow centers. They're exquisite; one of mine covers maybe an inch of the stick it's mounted on and bloomed about 100 flowers. I've just added a couple of Zygostates lunata to the mini collection as well. Haraella odorata is also special; it looks like a tiny Phalaenopsis with a leaf span of about 2-3 inches, and blooms a flower that looks like a tiny Phal that was crossed with Gene Simmons' tongue, and is sweetly fragrant. H. retrocalla is also easily available and quite similar. Sarchochilus hartmanii is a bit larger, though still smaller than a Neofinetia (another great mini), and blooms beautiful white flowers with a deep red center. And Neofinetia falcata is a wonderful mini, so I'll mention it again because I have several. Numerous species of Gasteochilus are easy to find and really cool minis, including calceolaris, japonica, and somai. My favorite orchids are Phalaenopsis, so I can't omit them. There are several true miniature Phals which I grow. The smallest are braceana and thailandica (in spike as I type), which are both plants well under 2" in span; the thailandica is considered semi-deciduous, but I've yet to lose leaves on mine and they sprout new leaves from the oddest places on the roots. P. cochlearis is slightly larger, and blooms what I think is one of the most spectacular flower of all Phals. P. hainanensis (some call it wilsonii) is again larger, with a span of about 3"; I can't tell you much more about it because I've just obtained my plants. I also recently got a hybrid named Phal. EquiChi, which has about a 3" leaf-span, and is a cross of equestris (and there are minis of equestris, too) and chibae.

I am not a sponsor, owner, or in any way affiliated with the following business, but a great way to find some wonderful minis is through the Power Search on Andy's Orchids site. You can use all sorts of limiters and find plants that will fit perfectly into your conditions. Other than my mini-Phals, Andy's Power Search is how I've found essentially all of my minis.

[jcec1]

I second Neofinetia falcata. I'm growing several and a couple of primary hybrids, all bare root in old candle votives not much bigger than a shot glass, so definitely miniatures.

[Zabeta]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

There are some wonderful plants you could add! Over the past year or so I've really gotten into minis (I am building a new light table for them), so this is an area I'm pretty excited about, though I've grown a few over my decades. I can only mention ones I grow or have grown, of course, but probably my all-time favorite is Zygostates alleniana. The plant itself in less than an inch tall, and blooms clouds of small, white flowers with yellow centers. They're exquisite; one of mine covers maybe an inch of the stick it's mounted on and bloomed about 100 flowers. I've just added a couple of Zygostates lunata to the mini collection as well. Haraella odorata is also special; it looks like a tiny Phalaenopsis with a leaf span of about 2-3 inches, and blooms a flower that looks like a tiny Phal that was crossed with Gene Simmons' tongue, and is sweetly fragrant. H. retrocalla is also easily available and quite similar. Sarchochilus hartmanii is a bit larger, though still smaller than a Neofinetia (another great mini), and blooms beautiful white flowers with a deep red center. And Neofinetia falcata is a wonderful mini, so I'll mention it again because I have several. Numerous species of Gasteochilus are easy to find and really cool minis, including calceolaris, japonica, and somai. My favorite orchids are Phalaenopsis, so I can't omit them. There are several true miniature Phals which I grow. The smallest are braceana and thailandica (in spike as I type), which are both plants well under 2" in span; the thailandica is considered semi-deciduous, but I've yet to lose leaves on mine and they sprout new leaves from the oddest places on the roots. P. cochlearis is slightly larger, and blooms what I think is one of the most spectacular flower of all Phals. P. hainanensis (some call it wilsonii) is again larger, with a span of about 3"; I can't tell you much more about it because I've just obtained my plants. I also recently got a hybrid named Phal. EquiChi, which has about a 3" leaf-span, and is a cross of equestris (and there are minis of equestris, too) and chibae.

I am not a sponsor, owner, or in any way affiliated with the following business, but a great way to find some wonderful minis is through the Power Search on Andy's Orchids site. You can use all sorts of limiters and find plants that will fit perfectly into your conditions. Other than my mini-Phals, Andy's Power Search is how I've found essentially all of my minis.

Excellent, thank you so much for all this info! Out of curiosity, how do you grow these minis? I'm thinking of getting an aquarium but not sure yet.

[3rdMaestro]

My favorite orchids are probably tolumnia. They are mini but not ultra mini like some orchids out there. They do well for me indoors and have a huge variety of color, plus largely they are cheap. Also, they are fairly heat tolerant. The downside is they want misting/watering every day (clay pots are a bit different though. I grow mine mounted)

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[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by Zabeta

Excellent, thank you so much for all this info! Out of curiosity, how do you grow these minis? I'm thinking of getting an aquarium but not sure yet.

Almost all are mounted, either on sticks or cypress planks, though I plan to transfer some immature plants onto osmunda rafts. I have all of the mini-Phals hanging in among my other Phals right now but will transfer them to the mini area as soon as it's finished. The Zygostates, a Gastrochilus, a Trichoglottis, and the Haraellas all hang together right now. I like aquarium set-ups I've seen but am too focused on air movement to try one, so the on the new setup for them I'll create a couple of "walls" from hardware cloth to hang the plants, with varying levels depending on how close to the light the plant wants to be. Fans supply air movement, and I humidify the room already so that won't be an issue.

[estación seca]

Heat&low-humidity | Miniature-orchids

Except for Tolumnia, you can have one or the other.

[Leafmite]

After growing the large orchids and never having enough space, I have gotten into the small and miniature orchids (with just a few exceptions). Here are a few that I have found to be easy to grow in all temperatures:

Haraella rectrocalla, as many have mentioned. It likes humidity. I have successfully grown it in a jar but it is very happy right now in a table top greenhouse with a few small Bulbophyllum. It is in bloom constantly. Some of them are really wonderfully fragrant.

Lepanthopsis astrophora 'Stalky'. I grow it in a bowl and a table top greenhouse. It seems fine with warm or cool temperatures. The flowers are really remarkable and easy to see. I grow it so that the roots always stay moist. I have a culture mounted on wood and another on lava rock. This one can sometimes be difficult to locate which, I think, is why it is not more popular. Distilled water is preferred.

Lepanthes calodictyon This one seems to tolerate most anything. The leaves are pretty, the flowers look like little fruit flies. Distilled water is preferred.

Angraecum distichum. This one has fragrant flowers but you nearly need to inhale the poor flower. I am growing this in the center of a bowl so that it gets good air. Likes extra calcium, low salts.

Ascocentrum pumilum A very small Vanda with pretty purple flowers. It blooms a few times a year.

Den. lichenastrum and Dendrobium prenticei These two are very nice little orchids.

[orion141]

Oh man, there are so many awesome miniatures. I recently got Den. lichenastrum and Dendrobium prenticei and they are both really cool. Sedirea japonica is a fun phal type orchid with a citronella scent. Dendrobium unicum is a gorgeous ministries dendrobium and leptotes bicolor is a unique and pretty purple/white miniature orchid. I second speaking to Andy from Andys orchids, he is full of knowledge and tons of amazing miniature orchids!

[Zabeta]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Heat&low-humidity | Miniature-orchids

Except for Tolumnia, you can have one or the other.

Oh no, really? I have some already (around 10-15, maybe a few more?) that seem to be doing fine. I have killed a couple, granted (including, sadly, a Macodes petola and a Mystacidium capense, both of which just burned to a crisp), but that was in the apartment I've since moved out of, and my new place is a bit cooler in general, so fingers crossed.

The ones I currently have include some tolumnias, which have never done that great for me, but also Den. unicum, Neofinetia falcata, Cattleya luteola, Microterangis hildebrandtii, and others, that are thriving and blooming! Plus, if need be it's easier to create a microclimate around a teeny orchid than a big one (I just got a Haraella retrocalla that I might need to cover somehow).

At least, I hope what I'm saying will pan out. The summer hasn't hit yet, and the cool, humid winter is always fairly peaceful for my orchid collection. :-/

---------- Post added at 07:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:58 PM ----------

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

I'll create a couple of "walls" from hardware cloth to hang the plants, with varying levels depending on how close to the light the plant wants to be.

Very interesting!

---------- Post added at 07:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:03 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Leafmite

After growing the large orchids and never having enough space, I have gotten into the small and miniature orchids (with just a few exceptions).

That's exactly why I'm started to gravitate toward miniatures, too. They're cute, but mainly they don't take up much space. I don't have much to spare!

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Haraella rectrocalla, as many have mentioned. It likes humidity. I have successfully grown it in a jar but it is very happy right now in a table top greenhouse with a few small Bulbophyllum. It is in bloom constantly. Some of them are really wonderfully fragrant.

I'm so excited to have just received this one, and I'm hoping it doesn't die! I've got in in sphagnum and sitting in a container with the top open. I might close the top somewhat to keep the humidity in.

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Angraecum distichum. This one has fragrant flowers but you nearly need to inhale the poor flower. I am growing this in the center of a bowl so that it gets good air. Likes extra calcium, low salts.

I also just ordered this one! Very excited.

Thank you also for your other suggestions! I'll check them out.

---------- Post added at 07:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:10 PM ----------

Originally Posted by orion141

Oh man, there are so many awesome miniatures. I recently got Den. lichenastrum and Dendrobium prenticei and they are both really cool. Sedirea japonica is a fun phal type orchid with a citronella scent. Dendrobium unicum is a gorgeous ministries dendrobium and leptotes bicolor is a unique and pretty purple/white miniature orchid. I second speaking to Andy from Andys orchids, he is full of knowledge and tons of amazing miniature orchids!

Thank you!