Cool growing Bulbophyllum species?

[gnathaniel]

I'd love to grow some of those Australian species! Unfortunately not easy to find in the US. Other species that have done well for me in cooler conditions include thaiorum/yasnae, thiurum, plumatum, odoratissimum, concinnum, and delitescens. Everything in Section Lepidorhiza that I've exposed to cool/cold temps has died in short order, though I think all the species I tried were lowland in origin.

[Exo]

Hey, cool to see this thread still exists, it's been a looong time! Lol

So in the decade since I started this thread, I've answered my own question a few times over, and I'll share the bulbos that have done well in cooler temperatures.

Rothschildianum: tough plant, slower grower, but tolerates temps from 90f down to 50f with no issues at all. Likes to be kept rather wet.

Ambrosia: did really really well and grew fast. Again, temperature tolerant, likes to be mounted or at least allowed to dry slightly, likes bright light.

Ankylochele: this species is a fast grower that likes it wet and humid, but mine took temps down to 45f at night without skipping a beat. Does best mounted and really doesn't care for temps over 80 in my experience. I grew it with my masdevallias and it was very happy. Likes lower light than most bulbos I've tried.

Plumatum: a new purchase, but so far, so good. Seems to like being pretty wet and potted. Tiny roots. Likes bright light as well

Most others I'd tried all stalled at temps below 60, a few like lobii and Sumatranum were good down to 55 or so on account of their vigor, but fungus became an issue.

[Roberta]

Here are some that I grow outside (winter nights as low as the mid-30's F, low 40's many nights) so REALLY cool temps. (I have had all through 2 or 3 years at least, so I think I can say that they are survivors)

brevibrachiatum
hirudinis
hematipes
alkmaarense
thaiorum
pardalotum

I just moved tingabarinum outside... a friend who lives nearby has had good success with it outside, so I'm giving it a shot.

Most of these are mounted, and so dry out during the day (daily watering in the morning) If wetter they would likely grow a lot faster, but they get what they get.

[SFLguy]

Although they probably aren’t the easiest to find, Bulb. magnum should do well in cold, wet conditions

[Fredmax]

Some updates from me, my trial and error has resulted in the following. Last Winter I kept it at 10c, this year I've used no heating down to 4c/40f mins.


Scaberulum - leading the way the most cold tolerance seen down to 4c

Rothschildianum - the only bulbo species I see growing in my area due to it's cold tolerance, safe bet.

Sumatranum - keeping very dry but has managed two cold winters successfully getting similar results with other Lobbii variations

Kalimantan - Only a few months in 4c mins without any regression yet

Macranthoides - looks to be in a holding pattern til the warmer weather starts

Echinolabium - looking very healthy despite the cold,

Patens - described as a hot grower, surprised at this ones success down to 4c

Frostii - young plant has survived two winters down to 4c

Mirum - smaller plants have struggled with cool temps but large ones are fine in 4c

Tricornoides - 2 winters without any regression, this seems to be a solid cold grower

Angustifolium - early days but hasn't gone backwards after a couple of months days at 15c and nights at 4c

Lobbii - is doing ok at 4c but time will tell as mentioned in an earlier post

Fascinator - fine though seems to be hanging out for spring

Weberi - same as fascinator

Longibracteatum - no issues noticed seems quite tough

Apodum, Laxiflorum, Nymphopolitanum, Trigonosepalum, Sikkimense, Odoratum, Wendlandianum, Emiliorum - all did fine to 10c but started to struggle when lower

Ramosii - I'm going to roll the dice with , IOSPE says it's found up to 3800m but assume that's a typo.

All the little Oz bulbos that look like Dends/Dockrillias (macphersonii, wadsworthii, sheperdii etc.) haven't flinched which should be expected.

[Roberta]

I'm thinking that B. frostii might must be moving outside. And B. echinolabium... it's getting big and that tends to lead to things getting booted from the GH which is very tight when possible. Thanks for that list!