Appropriate wood for mounts?

[realoldbeachbum]

Originally Posted by sweetas647

Hi all!

Apologies if this question has been asked before... but I'm curious what types of wood are okay to use for mounting. For example, I've heard that resinous or sap-producing woods are not good for growing plants on - is that true? Any types or classes that should be avoided?

Thanks in advance!

This is my very first mount -- on a piece of 85 year old barn wood from a barn that I recently inherited in southern Tennessee. The wood is rough and has original nail holes that the roots wiggle through. (I have a whole barn full of this stuff so I hope this first one does well! )

When I first started growing orchids -- less than 3 years ago -- I was NOT interested in mounts, My goal was to get one, just one, orchid to bloom in a pot. A mount was a bridge too far. Well, now look at this . . . .

Don't be afraid to experiment. Best of luck to you!

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by realoldbeachbum

Attachment 150034

This is my very first mount -- on a piece of 85 year old barn wood from a barn that I recently inherited in southern Tennessee. The wood is rough and has original nail holes that the roots wiggle through. (I have a whole barn full of this stuff so I hope this first one does well! )

When I first started growing orchids -- less than 3 years ago -- I was NOT interested in mounts, My goal was to get one, just one, orchid to bloom in a pot. A mount was a bridge too far. Well, now look at this . . . .

Don't be afraid to experiment. Best of luck to you!

That looks great! If that barn has been around for 85 years, I think that you can say that the wood is durable! And clearly, the plant likes it.

[estación seca]

Art galleries will be interested in that wood for framing paintings. Go to a framing shop and see what frame material costs before agreeing on a price.

[Orchid Whisperer]

My favorite wood for mounts is actually highly resinous.

I use the hard heart-of-pine that is in the core of old pine trees that remains after the soft wood has rotted away naturally. This type of wood often forms interesting shapes in the roots and base of the tree. The weathered surfaces are not resinous, but the interior of the wood is, so pieces used for mounts don't decay. It all comes from long dead fallen trees.

I collect pieces from a patch of woods on the back half of my property. If you live in a place where wood-gathering for firewood is allowed on public land, you can probably collect some there if there are pine trees (make sure that you check the rules before you collect). Same goes for privately-owned woods (ask permission first).

[Fairorchids]

I prefer cork, but I also improvise.

When an oak comes down, I often collect branches that are 1.1/2 to 3" in diameter. Then, after I cut them into 4-8" long segments, I run them through lengthwise on a table saw. That gives them a flat rear, so they can hang against the wire wall, and a curved front for the plant to grow around.

When I have leftover scraps from my home repair business, I save cedar, oak and merati (= 'mahogany'). Small pieces are cut into mounts, and larger pieces into staves, which I use to make baskets.

[wisdomseeker]

Another possible choice ~ coconut shell (not husk). Holds up very well for an organic material, and endures the elements for a long time (especially with heavy watering). One drawback: it's a bear to drill and saw. I remember maryanne (an OB member) also mentioned coconut shell mounts in a post from about a year ago.

[Maryanne]

Hi Folks:
Just a few more ideas on wood mounts...besides my coconut shell basket with Bulbo' restrepioides in it, I have 23 mounted.
I think oak is best and most likely to be accepted by the orchids. I have used other woods such as native North American plum (yes it is native along with Beach Plums which are used for jam), other hard woods like Mountain Laurel, Maple, the ROOTs of various shrubs and trees. I have Aerides odorata mounted on a root stump of the nasty invasive Euonymus alatus (burning bush) which seems to do fine. Red cedar crotches seem to work, and another orchid club member swears sassafras is great, and another member has used black locust, and bittersweet is an invasive, so yank them and use for your orchids. Lilac trunks make a good mount after you've trimmed your bushes.
Some growers like grapevine mounts, but my experience with it was disappointing as it rotted and mildewed very quickly and the orchid rejected it. It was a mini-catt, and it never recovered.

In general, softwoods like pine don't last long enough, as they rot and mildew earlier in the game.

Some folks on the forum ask about purchasing wood mounts. (I guess if you're in a city you have no good places to scavenge wood) I rely on found wood. Easy enough if you go hiking often, or the electric grid maintenance crew comes by and fells trees and branches - there's been a lot of that going on due to concern over trees near powerlines. Scout your own or ask your neighbor if you rummage their wood stove chord wood. Thank with a nice batch of brownies?
My DH makes furniture and cabinetry for a living, so I have pick of the scrap pile, and he's willing to make up baskets for me.
So, keep your eyes open as a picturesque mount be right down the road waiting for you.
Best of growing to all of you,
Maryanne

[DirtyCoconuts]

depends a lot on how and where you keep the mount....i have a few on untreated pine boards that are 5-6 years old and doing great, they get rained on all the time but they are dry almost immediately thereafter. i see a few cracks and some warping but the wood is still strong

[Ben_in_North_FLA]

find a local mill that processes timber or specialty woods and they usually have "live edges" that they sell fairly cheap for orchid mounts, usually all hardwoods.
I have bought bald cypress, hickory, cedar in full slab and then just cut it down to size that I need.
If you live in sub tropical climate you can grow your own tree host for orchids fairly easy. Yellow tabebuia is an excellent tree for orchid mounts, it is fast growing and has very rough bark. I have grown several from seed (easily found by looking around a blooming tree in season and there are many in So Fla). The tree also has a sparse canopy that allow good light and can be kept at a manageable size.
Only bad thing about is that it is not the sturdiest tree and is also shallow rooted. I grew one of thos at a 45 degree angle to deflect any wind strain and it worked out great.
The tree puts out a spectacular bloom in spring and can be easily spotted.
Bright Yellow Flowers Fill South Florida Thanks To Tabebuia Tree | WLRN

[Tall Trees]

Here in the Flathead we have a lot of fresh water drift wood some which may have tumbled and floated down from Canada. It washes up on shore eventually clean with no resins or sap. The knotty and root wood can look really nice and orchids love it.