A couple of questions

[James O]

I've never mounted a plant before but have some questions for you more advanced growers if I may?

1) Is it possible to achieve this sort of look over 360° if I mounted a larger plant on a vertically hanging cork branch? Not sure if wrapping 360° is doable or the done thing?

2) if I mount a large Coelogyne or Bulbophyllum to a cork board or branch is it wise/acceptable to overlap stems(?) as it grows. Rather than removing and re mounting? I assume plants do this in the wild and build into dense lumps of stems, bulbs and roots

[estación seca]

Hi James O. Sorry I missed your question until now. I was occupied over Christmas.

A rapidly-growing plant that sprawls will, indeed, cover a branch like this. The mount would require even light from above, or you would have to turn it regularly if growing in a window. Mounted plants like this routinely step all over themselves without problems.

The plant in the photo appears to be in a square wood basket. It has, no doubt, outgrown the basket and the last few growths in each chain of pseudobulbs are hanging in the air. The plant could look very similarly if mounted on a large branch. Be aware expert Bulbophyllum growers have written it is impossible to water them enough when mounted to get them to grow as well as they do in baskets.

[James O]

Thanks for the reply!

So mounts are out for Bulbophyllum. But crisscrossing the stems is ok.

I have 2 larger Coelogyne that might work nicely. A Cristata (10 pseudobulbs) and a Graminifolia (13 pseudobulbs) Do the roots of overhanging pseudobulbs need to be wrapped in moss or similar?

[estación seca]

I haven't grown either of those. I think most people use a pad of moss on the wood for most mounts, and let the roots grow where they will, not wrapping moss around aerial roots.

I only have one Coelogyne species, not one you mention, but generally I think they don't like being dry for very long. And consider the weight of such a mount - it might rapidly become too heavy to carry.

There are a number of Coelogyne growers here with a lot more experience than I. Maybe they will help.

[AnonYMouse]

I appreciate that you want the "look" (that Bulbo isn't spherical, but hanging some rhizomes). Lets work this out in reverse.

What plants grow in mounds?

some Bulbos
Dendrochillums
Oncidiums
Masdevallias
Gongora
Stanhopea
etc.

And instead of a branch, deconstruct a wooden basket and reassemble into a raft (remove a level or two of height). Or pot up in other types of baskets. Or mount on a tree fern pot or ball. People were getting pretty creative with Hygrolon and the horticultural scotch pads (I can't remember what they were called).

Now, mix and match the growth characteristics (sprawling rhizome, shallow roots, etc) with the properties of the "mount".

And not least of all, you'll need patience, lots of patience. That bulbo in the pic didn't happen overnight or even over months but years.