Mini miniatures
 

Hi everyone,

I have a transformed aquarium, which is now being filled with miniature orchids. I already have about 40 plants but I really like to have more of those little beauties (don't we all?)
In my collection I have a Lepantopsis cuculata and I really like the size of it, it is so tiny:)
So now I am looking for more of those really mini miniatures!

Can you help me?

Greets Davina

What do you have already? I'm a big gan of Haraella retrocalla - seems popular with others too.

I have that one too, and it flowered already it really is a beauty!
The really small ones that I have are: Leptotes cucullata, Aerangis punctata, Phymatidium tillandsioides, Bulbophymllum taiwanense, woelfliae, barbigerum, and some bigger ones but I really like the very little ones.

Any more ideas?

Schoenorchis is a favorite of mine,....Jean

Hi Davina, I don't grow any but there are many miniature pleurothallids in genera like Pleurothallis, Masdevallia, Lepanthes, Stelis, etc. Masd. erinacea is one that I particularly like, maybe someone with experience with it will chime in.

Bulbophyllums: hirundinis, thaiorum, albociliatum, plumatum, alagense, and catenulatum are all small and fairly easy to grow.

Ornithocephalus, Zygostates, and Hintonella are related to Phymatidium and mostly very small plants. Ocps inflexus is a vigorous and showy species, though not as tiny as some (inflorescences on my clone are 12-15 cm, leaves about 5-6 cm long).

Maxillaria sophronitis, Mediocalcar decoratum, Dinema (Encyclia) polybulbon, Dendrobium lichenastrum, Isabelia pulchella, and Angraecum distichum are a few more that I think will do well in a terrarium.

I look forward to seeing what others suggest. There are a lot of good terrarium growers on here who post nice photos, check out the subforum on that growing style. You might also find good suggestions on Dendroboard or other terrarium-specific forums.

Hi Nate,

thx for your reply, it was very useful!
I already have an Encyclia polybulbon and I really like the way it grows.
The other orchids you suggested are really awesome, especially the Ornithocephalus and the Zygostates. There were a few orchids that I already saw at orchid shows, but that I couldn't remember or whose names I had forgotten. So really thank you, I'm already planning to buy three of them :)

I'm also a miniature grower and I will list some. I don't know how cool you can grow your plants, but I can bloom cool growers most of the time with less than adequate temps.

Lepanthes deleastes
Lepanthes caprimulgus
Lepanthes telipogoniflora
Lepanthes calodictyon
Lepanthes dodsonii
Lepanthes quadricornis
Lepathes tigrina

Tolumnia sylvestris

Trichosalpinx notosobrica
Trichosalpinx ovulare
Trichosalpinx memor

Trisitella hoeijeri

Dendrobium cuthburtsonii
Dendrobium laevifolium

Macroclinium manabinum

Masd. manchinzanea
Masd. ivanii

(above available from Ecuagenera and some others)

Angreacum urschianum (botanica ltd)
Angreacum aff. breve (sold by Botanica ltd but they will say it is definitely not breve and yet to be properly identified

These are off the top off my head. If there are any you are specifically looking for PM me and I'll see if we can locate them for you. I have a few that will be dividable this year. I'd imagine I misspelled some so if you cannot find a reference for them I can do that also. Hope it helps.

Thanks for the list, a few of them were already on my wishlist. Thx for considering dividing plants for me but it is really expensive to ship to Belgium. That's a real shame because there are a lot of orchid sellers in the US.

Greets!

Oeps I kinda made a big mistake here! It is the lepanthopsis acuminata that I have and really like! sorry for the wrong name!

One of my favs is Muscarella marginata

If you haven't come across Ron Hanko's blog, you probably should. Most of his plants are tiny. Orchids in Bloom

---------- Post added at 05:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:02 PM ----------

Although not super-miniature, most of the Restrepia species are nice too.

People like Ecuagenera (who have masses of amazing pleurothallids and the like) will visit Europe several times a year, and will import plants when they go. It seems you missed a show in Liege in March. Upcoming shows 2013 -
But never fear, there is another one in Brussels in September, as long as you get your order in by August 17. :)

---------- Post added at 05:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 PM ----------

I just stumbled across this as well: Miniature orchids | Pontus blog about miniature orchids

Many Platystele spp. are generally fairly small orchids.

I think the tiniest orchid in the world belongs in this genus.

Oberonia japonica: Andy's has some. Doesn't get much more mini.
Schoenorchis fragrans.
Some Diplocaulobium species, flowers are huge compared to plant, but only last one day.