Hello from a house plant serial killer

[ninny]

My name is Channing and I am a house plant serial killer. I can not keep them alive regardless of where I get them or what they are. I would love to have one plant that loves me. I have a 55 gallon tank that houses two fish. I am wanting to change it to a terruim with live plants and some kind of critter (frogs or geckos something) and two small ponds for little fish. Critters and fish love me. Plants yeah right. The joke is they see me and drop died rather then suffer at my house. I got interested in orchids when I started looking at dart frogs. Then I saw this beyond funny looking plant and found out it's called Orchis italica - Naked Man Orchid, Italian Orchid. I really want one!! But I can't find it. And even if I did it would just die. So is there a forgiving orchid out there?

[kevin1217]

Welcome! There many orchids out there, it just depends on your growing condition. Phals are fairly common, and are rather forgiving. And beware, orchids are addicting!

[Leafmite]

Welcome to the forum!!!! The difficulty with plants arises because plants, like animals, have specific needs, as they come from various habitats (that usually are very unlike the environment in which you plan to keep them). Orchids will thrive if you select orchids to fit your environment or adapt your environment to fit their needs. A bit of research will quickly make you an expert on orchids. You can ask questions here about any orchids that interest you and get specific answers.
Good luck! I think you will find orchids easier to grow than other plants.

[cbuchman]

Welcome. Orchids are survivors. The key is to understand your environment and then select orchids that can manage under those conditions. You can do it! and the OB is here to provide guidance along the way.

[ninny]

Thanks everyone! I would like to do a amazon rain forest biotope in my 55 gallon tank. I am looking for orchids that are in that area and that are hardy enough to stand up to frogs or small lizards. It will have a pond so high humidity is just well going to happen. Where can I order a orchid? I've only seen some at Walmart once in a while. I kill aloe plants and fly traps, so thought a Walmart plant would be my next victim.

[cbuchman]

What you will need will require some expert advice, I would think. There are some threads on Miniatures (which I also think is what you need). I would call a couple of places and see what they advice. What you find at Walmart, probably would do for what you are proposing. Suggest you contact Andy's Orchids, and maybe First Rays. You can find links to their website on the OB.

[WhiteRabbit]

Glad you found us!

[ninny]

Originally Posted by cbuchman

What you will need will require some expert advice, I would think. There are some threads on Miniatures (which I also think is what you need). I would call a couple of places and see what they advice. What you find at Walmart, probably would do for what you are proposing. Suggest you contact Andy's Orchids, and maybe First Rays. You can find links to their website on the OB.

Thank You!! I will say I found some awesome praying mantises. I may get some of those instead of frogs. Cheaper and can be touch. We home school so the kiddos would love that I think. Plus way way cheaper. I look at Andy's orchid but I will say I was shocked at the price. I was thinking like five or ten dollars but forty bucks for a plant? Why are they so much?

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

[Paul Mc]

Hello and welcome! I would use Andy's website to learn about the orchids that come from the region you want to mimic, then start researching the yearly weather and temps to start thinking about how you are going to mimic those in the terrarium. If this is your first, and even if it's your 100th, you'll want to test things like air flow, humidity, temp ranges etc... Before you put expensive orchids in there. I think starting with something cheap and readily accessible would be the way to go, but again learn what alliances of orchids come from the region are you trying to mimic, or what orchids live in similar environments.