Whole coconut husk

[cpeters5]

Quick question. I found this gem in a local thrift store. Thought it would be great for one of my orchids, but which one?

So if this coconut were yours, which one of your orchids would you put in it?

[Daethen]

It would depend on how stable it is for something taller and does it have drainage?

[Hiester]

Hmmmm... For my own personal tastes I can only picture something rather low, as in six to eight inches tall, and slightly wide, say with six or eight canes or pseudobulbs, with a trailing or semi trailing habit–at least in the flower spikes... but that's just me.

[Daethen]

Although, with that face carved in it, it screams dracula orchid.

[cpeters5]

There is lots of drainage. I drilled 4 holes at the bottom. Though I have peeled off the outer tough skin, the inner shell, hard as rock, is still intact. I have no easy way to remove it. So to reach the juicy husk, the roots would have to go through one of the 4 holes or from the top of the monkey head.

[Hiester]

I would agree with Daethen that something like D. benedictii might look really cool, but I fear the mechanics of the pot itself might limit that choice. (So far I haven't ventured into the culture of Dracula sp., but I've run upon some ideas after acquiring the ultrasonic humidifier.)

[cpeters5]

Any suggestion for a climber? I could train it to latch on to the side and back to make it look like a hairy ape :-)

[Hiester]

Originally Posted by cpeters5

Any suggestion for a climber? I could train it to latch on to the side and back to make it look like a hairy ape :-)

The only orchid climber I am really familiar with is Vanilla. I was just admiring a variegated form of V. planifolia available on eBay from a Florida seller...

Vanilla Planifolia 'Albo Marginata' Var Vanilla Orchid Plants in 5" Hanging Pot | eBay

The description says four or more rooted plants in a 5" hanging pot. I'm not at all familiar with this eBay vendor.

[Daethen]

Vanilla would grow way too big and long for that pot.

[cpeters5]

I recently bought a small den. lichenastrum var. prenticei which might be a good candidate. It is growing on a piece of wood. I am wondering if coconut husk would be too moist for it since the husk would probably hold a lot more moisture and longer than piece of wood. Any thought?

If it is not a perfect match, then the second candidate from my collection might be Trias mollis since it likes to stay wet more than the dendrobium.

What do you think?