Greetings 👋 (and lots of questions, seeking your thoughts) from Los Angeles

[Jmbaum]

Hi Everyone,

Signed up on here to get your expert thoughts and satisfy my constant curiosity across an array of orchid subjects.

A little about myself, I started growing orchids at 11yo in San Diego and it was all consuming. For that time I was the youngest member of the SDCOS and even managed to show my first plant. I really enjoyed the scientific aspects, taxonomy, and even had the privilege learning from John Walters at Rex Foster’s how to flask my first orchids for the science fair, comparing the original Knudsen formula to more contemporary formulas. I have so much admiration for all the long timers that encouraged me at that age. Sadly disaster struck a few years later and my small greenhouse was destroyed and my plant collection suffered greatly. I donated what survived to the San Diego Zoo’s collection. I was so disheartened at the moment in my life I stopped growing all together. It wasn’t until I was in Bangkok a few years back that I started collecting again abandoning myself to that joy filling my balcony with all manner or species (very easy to do there).

As for the past year or so I’be been growing on my south facing balcony in Los Angeles, in my apartment along the eastern windows, and in a twenty gallon approximation of an intermediate cloudforest of miniature oddities. Also I’ve come full circle and in school for botanical genetics/ ecology.

I’m often fixated on any number of ideas that I’ve come seeking information on.
Looking for year round growers for my balcony which I’m growing a vegetative barrier of hibiscus, magnolia, bougainvillea, California natives, anything that provides protection from the punishing exposure. While I do enjoy nurturing, I’m in interested in high performing resilient species and primary hybrids. A mounted Laelia anceps was the christening species, followed with a classic NOID reedstem epidendrum, and 3 different Oerstedella species and Epidendrum parkinsonianum hiding in the shade. I want to be sensible about what I add to the curation, resilience, unusual/sculptural growth habit, and and fragrance preferable. Happy to hear every suggestion you have for Southern California outdoors that fits the prompt.

So Indoors I have more flexibility but the plants really needs to be remarkable out of bloom. Expecting a particularly strongly banded variety of Phal. Schilleriana (or so I hope after doing weeks or research.) I have an array of Oeceoclades, Psycopsis mendenhall, Oncidium amplatum ( all about leaves and pseudo bulb interest) and Epidendrum pseudoepidendrum joined by both Rene Marquez ‘Tyler’ and ‘Flamethrower’ (I really had a fixation with the plastic quality of the bloom) and a few more random things scattered about. I won’t go into the terrarium species list. Any great leaves and patterns, strange pseudobulbs, tidy growth that are happy indoors with eastern light?

This intro is longer than I thought... but also I’m interested in any breeding programs or people that have done great things with

1. Breeding for foliage interest, all the things mentioned above ect.
2. Unconventional intergeneric and primary hybrids mottled, waxy, freckled, strangely and or clashing hued flowers.
3. Epi. parkinsonianum ,pseudoepidendrum, Rupicolous Laelias, Rattail and globular bulbed oncidiums.

Just generally oddball novelty breeding that considers the whole of the plant as a canvas for interest....

Also if you know anyone who that would like some help around theirs greenhouse or shade house or reflasking in LA from time to time as it becomes safe, send them my way. I don’t have so much extra time as a student, but I miss so much working around big collections.

Great so hopefully someone sees this and has some thoughts. Apologies if you feel asleep halfway through.

Happy to be here,
Jeffrey

[Roberta]

First,

There are so many things that can grow outside in Los Angeles (coastal southern California generally). I'm just bit south of you, but very similar climate. Take a look at my website (link below) for some ideas. And keep an eye on Andy's Orchids website for the next Open House, at the end of the month... it's only about an hour and a half (or just a bit more) if traffic is light.... kiss your bank account goodby...

[Jmbaum]

Thanks Roberta,

Yes all very sound advice. I love Andy’s, I still remember my first orchid from him, rhynchostylis gigantea var. alba when I was 12, that scent was magic. I just missed that March saw but had gone down in September... and absolutely qualified for a volume discount.... and left with a light walleg. Almost everyone in my cloudforest is from him. I’ve been combing through his website but I never find it easy to see the plant habit, also I really enjoy the vigor of a primary hybrid. You do make a good case though, I really ought to just call down and pick his brain. I did send a but wordy of an email fishing around for species of interest, which wasn’t met with a reply ( I’m sure it was accidental). What are you grown that really holds it own as beautiful/unique plant beyond the blooms?

Originally Posted by Roberta

First,

There are so many things that can grow outside in Los Angeles (coastal southern California generally). I'm just bit south of you, but very similar climate. Take a look at my website (link below) for some ideas. And keep an eye on Andy's Orchids website for the next Open House, at the end of the month... it's only about an hour and a half (or just a bit more) if traffic is light.... kiss your bank account goodby...

[Roberta]

I can't begin to find a favorite... it's whatever is in bloom at the moment. I have gotten totally hooked on species... Alas the local species club folded (not enough people to do the work, and also only a very few who really have the passion) so I've kept it going online. There is one other person who contributes lots to the blog, who also grows outside in similar conditions so we do a lot of idea-trading.

I really like going to those Andy open houses where I can wander around and see what grows where. (If it is in an open shade house, I know that it'll work in my outdoor area as well... and Andy's "full sun" is milder than my "full sun" because he has a lot of trees and I don't, something I learned the hard way) He's not great at answering emails so be persistent... but if there's a particular species that isn't on the website, ask specifically because the website has maybe 10% of what he has)

[Jmbaum]

Yes, I think it’s ‘epiphyte78’ or like that, I’ve been to his blog, very passionate. I think I’ll look into Ansellia, Eulophia petersii, I think maybe there’s some semi terrestrials and lithophytes... it’ll take work to get trough the full scope of possibilities. Shame about the species society, maybe post pandemic, can get something quarterly together.

Originally Posted by Roberta

First,

There are so many things that can grow outside in Los Angeles (coastal southern California generally). I'm just bit south of you, but very similar climate. Take a look at my website (link below) for some ideas. And keep an eye on Andy's Orchids website for the next Open House, at the end of the month... it's only about an hour and a half (or just a bit more) if traffic is light.... kiss your bank account goodby...

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Jmbaum

Shame about the species society, maybe post pandemic, can get something quarterly together.

The two of us who are the main "species nuts" (brought most of the plants to show-and tell when we were meeting, provide most of the pix ever since) have tried to generate enthusiasm for an get-together, well before the pandemic (our last meeting as a bricks-and-mortar club was the end of 2018) and got little or no response. So likely not going to happen. But if you'd like to be on the email list to get notice of the new pages each month (and/or show off your own species blooms) send me an email by PM, or from the socalorchidspecies.com website.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Oeceoclades may do fine on your balcony in a shady spot. Cymbidiums? A member here from - I think - Huntington Beach used to post photos of his Renantheras outdoors. Maybe use the advanced search feature to look him up,

You can use annual vines on a trellis or stakes to provide some shade. Think vegetables like squash, gourds, Basella. Or flowers like morning glories and black-eyed Susan vine (Thunhergia.) Okra grows tall, fast. I use it for summer shade.

[Roberta]

I have found that Ren. imschootiana does fine outside for me. Also Ren. citrina . Vanda tricolor, V. cristata, V. roeblingiana, V. coerulea (somewhat, can be touchy) and some other Vandaceous genera. Of course, Neof. (Vanda) falcata and any of its hybrids with other Vandaceous genera. All of these need a little shading, but are cold-tolerant.

[Jmbaum]

A Renanthera would be so much fun! It’s been so long since I’ve had one, perhaps a hybrid Renanthera imschootiana x Vanda coerulea. So much fun, nice thing is that it would hardly take up any space. I’m going to keep the oecdoclades indoors, if only to see if they decide to grow. At the moment they all just seem to sit there. I really like the idea of growing some okra for shade, picked up a Mandevillia to fill in a few patches by late August.

Originally Posted by estación seca

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Oeceoclades may do fine on your balcony in a shady spot. Cymbidiums? A member here from - I think - Huntington Beach used to post photos of his Renantheras outdoors. Maybe use the advanced search feature to look him up,

You can use annual vines on a trellis or stakes to provide some shade. Think vegetables like squash, gourds, Basella. Or flowers like morning glories and black-eyed Susan vine (Thunhergia.) Okra grows tall, fast. I use it for summer shade.

[Roberta]

Consider Vanda Paki ( V. cristata x V. tricolor). Looks like V. cristata on steroids... Cold-tolerant (from both parents)