Oeceoclades maculata, Monk Orchid Display
 

So, I put together this Monk Orchid display to showcase some of the materials that can be found any day here in the forest garden. The Monks have gotten to be common growing among the detritus of the forest garden floor. I put these together with some native stones and Slash Pine root chunks, draped some Spanish moss collected from the oaks, mounted some other common tillandsias, added some native mosses and a few other things I found on the property and came up with this pot terrarium. Note the seed capsules rising from the Monks. There are a couple in spike that I did not want to disturb for the display. These common orchids, some say pesky, have a beautiful mottled pattern on their leaves and I have grown to appreciate them a lot.

Really nice, I have one of these guys, I will think about making some small display like this for it:-)

Nice!

Very nice. Will you keep this outside, yer round?

Ingenious set-up....I also love the hanging orchids on the far background....

So nice! I always find it so interesting to have your "local" species. Also I love if an orchid is not just in a pot but a nice setup - all together: looks great! :)

Yes it will stay outside, everything in it is native or naturalized here. I grow all my orchids outside year round.

I was wondering if I could get by with a few Neo's outside here.....what do you think about that. It sometimes gets pretty cool in their native habitat doesn't it?

That is a good question. According to New World Orchids (www.newworldorchids.com) "Neofinetia falcata can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. In the spring and summer, day-time temperature should be 70º F or above, with a 10 to 15 degree difference at night. During winter months, day temperatures below 65º F are preferred." This is not a problem for me in Indiana, and I would think Homestead, Florida would have an even better environment.

Thanks, those clay leaf pockets that you see in the background is what I hang my Den-Phals in (my wife is a potter, makes them for me). They hang under the canopy of a "Bruce" Canistel Tree (fruit makes yummy soup).