Good windowsill varieties for Boston, MA

[desertanimal]

Originally Posted by stefpix

I have a few Angraecoids, but watching them grow feels slower than watching paint dry. You can get excited when you see them growing new roots because a new leaf may take 2 or 3 months...

I have A. leonis, A. dideri (i killed one but now it is doing well), A. sesquipedale seedling (I hope it reaches blooming size before I die), Aerangis modesta (a spike grew half inch in 3 months or 4) and Aerangis mistacidii (was a $3 deal). Aerangises are mounted and hang by the shower window. Anyway I would suggest getting something faster grower. Brassavola nodosa and its hybrids are fast growing and forgiving of low humidity but would benefit of some outdoor summertime. I have a Dendrobium atroviolaceum that grows like a weed. You could try a lower light Cattleya like Cattleya luteola. But to me fastest growing are the Brassavola hybrids like Bl Yellow Bird and Bc Kosh Wallis, although B. nodosa is more floriferous and forgiving of low humidity. Masdevallias I killed, but I have a couple of Pleurothallis and Restrepia that are doing more than OK. also you could try Maxillaria picta...

LOL! That's good to know about the slow growth. B. nodosa does look pretty. I'm happy to move things out for the summer. I'm going to see if my phals will like it on the porch when (IF) the temperatures ever get warm enough . . .

[stefpix]

I meant getting also getting something faster growing, if you like Angraecoids you can try them, but it is fun getting something that in a year doubles the size and the number of growths rather than a slow growing vandaceous that it is easier to kill rather than a sympodial orchid that if a new growth rots or dries up it can still make up.

[ALToronto]

My Toronto windowsill has a few oncidium alliance plants that really like it there, and hybrid catts also do well. I've just acquired some Paph seedlings, but it's too early to tell how they like it.

I also have a vanda that was very unhappy bare root, but as soon as I put it in a basket with lava rock, chc, perlite, charcoal and sphagnum, the leaves and roots just took off. Two months later, I have 5 roots crawling out from between the slats like thick, juicy earthworms.

And, of course, a bunch of phals. I can't pass by a discount table at Lowes and not pick up a $4 rescue.

[desertanimal]

Lovely windowsill! Thank you for sharing your collection!

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

Personally I would not grow Masdevallia's on the windowsill. They need more humid and cooler conditions than phalaenopsis. Some are more intermediate growers but still probably need cooler temps than Phals. There are ways to grow them in damp clay pots that cool the roots and I find mine do well that way, but I still keep them in the greenhouse which at this time of year reaches a minimum of about 5C (actually it went to down to 3C in the recent snow) rather than in the house which goes down to only about 15C if that. I had trouble with them when I tried to grow on a windowsill.

I would suggest Paphs, Phrags and some Dendrobiums those closely related to Dendrobium biggibum for example. Those are all ones I grow on the windowsill along with my Phals.

[Leafmite]

Brassavola Little Stars is a great orchid. Beautifully fragrant at night, reliable bloomer, and the flowers last a long time. Burr. Nelly Isler is really easy and fragrant, oncidium Twinkle, dendrobium oligophyllum, tuberolabium woodii, haraella rectrocalla, and sedirea japonica are all good ones for the window (and fragrant).
My angraecums grow at the rate of my vandas which is, yes, slow. But they did grow faster than my paphs which bored me so much I ended up rehoming them.

[desertanimal]

These are all fantastic specific suggestions and specific personal experiences, which are really helpful because a genus is a really BIG thing when you're dealing with plants! Jeez! As a primatologist, the variety that plant taxonomists decide to incorporate into a genus is pretty dizzying, and I know a lot of that variation won't do well on my windowsill! I will stay away from Masdevallias. Thanks for the heads up on their issues, everyone.