Zygo tribe; cool growing advice

[Dollythehun]

I'd like your opinion (which I may not follow).

My Zygo 'Advance Australia' is growing and blooming wonderfully in my cool/cold greenhouse window min 61f, max 72f). I also have a Tsb. 'Melinda Marie' and a Zygonesia 'Blue Birds' in that same window. The former is hanging on and has bloomed, the later is growing but, not bloomed.

Most of the area is taken up by phals. According to what I read lately, they should never survive in this cool window (in fact I felt so guilty, I bought them a tiny heater, which lowered their humidity). But, they've thrived for years in this window.

My question: should I let the health of the Zygo or the other two be my guide? (I understand the later two are hard to grow). I'd like to ditch my phals and grow more in the Zygo family. Thoughts or suggestions?

[aliceinwl]

I grow some of my Phals a lot cooler than recommended. I have zero issues with them above 50 degrees. Mine just grow slow, but I’m happy with them so I’m not altering my husbandry unless a plant seems particularly unhappy (those get temps comparable to yours and bounce right back).

I have a NOID Zygopetalum that looks a lot like the Advance Australia and a NOID Zygonesia that looks a lot like Blue Birds both are hardy down to at least 35. I grow them both in bright shade and both have bloomed numerous times for me.

I’d say let what you like be your guide and go by how the plants respond to your conditions. I have to agree Zygopetalum are pretty neat, I love the fragrance and the multiple bloomings throughout the year. Once my Phals spike, that’s it for the year ( for most of them at least; I do have a few overachievers), but every time the Zygopetalum push a growth there’s usually a bloom.

[Dollythehun]

I'm not being clear. I'd like to replace my phals with more zygos but, I'm trying to assess my success with them judging by what I have.

[aliceinwl]

My Zygonesia was a grocery store buy. It took probably close to a year after I repotted for it to start blooming again. Maybe yours just needs more time? The blooms seem to be more infrequent than on my Zygopetalum of comparable size.

Alternatively, you could just add more Zygopetalum since they’re doing well. I really like the Zygopetalum mackayi I picked up this summer. I have a feeling it would die if I were to grow it inside under my conditions, but the fragrance seemed like it had the potential to fill a room.