what's the hardest orchid you've grown?
 

I know is kind of a broad question and there are a bunch of factors to consider like light, temp, humidity etc. But there are those people that can grow and bloom stanhopeas (just an example) in different parts of the US even the world. And then there are those who know how hard it is to grow a pleurothalid orchid (again, just an example)

Then there are those who envy and are envied for growing certain plants that we just wish we could grow or are proud to gloat.

Which is your most challenging orchid? Whether it be that you've had multiple ones and they have all died, or you've had one for the past few years and all you got is nothing but growths.

This is just out of curiosity, I wanna know.

I recently picked up a few Disas, an aurata, a tripetaloides, and a uniflora. Based upon their reputation they're probably the most challenging I currently have. If my Pecteilus radiata comes back next spring that is!

I have two.
First: my dendrobium spectabile. It needs hot temperatures and direct sunlight, and during the winter is not so easy to have it. Plus, I bought it young, and I'm trying to bring it to bloom size (in 2-3 years).

Second: I'd like to grow my stanhopea outdoor on a palm tree, so, this winter I'll try to give cooler temperatures to my orchid, and next spring I'll place my stanhopea on a tree, for the first time. (I'm excited and worried at the same time)

Pecteiluls radiata? Subrosa, I've only read about how hard those can be. You got to show it off if you have success.good luck.

Jade, I have a Stanhopea nigroviolacea that I bought from orchids ltd. Seedling size. Apparently it will bloom either in 2015 or 2016. Some i got it, it has grown 5 bulbs, each bigger than the last. I'm not sure how big they need to be for someone to determine that's is blooming size but all I was told is that when it's time to put it into a 4 inch pot, is ready.
How big does the spectabile have to be to be considered blooming size?

Haraella odorata.... I'm on my fourth one. They all end up mysteriously dropping their leaves one by one, with no signs of yellowing or rotting. My new one is growing the way another OB member grows it, and that still doesn't seem to help, it already dropped a leaf. :(

I've grown several types.

Notable ones are Disa spp., with the exception of Disa bracteata. The stream-side Disas are particularly difficult to grow because of their unusual growing habits, (they grow in a semi-arid desert along streams or drip zones in between crevices of ancient metamorphosed sandstone).

Another group are Telipogon spp. Most of these grow in high elevation cloud forests.

I am still very new to this and don't have experience with too many varieties , but phals are the most difficult for me. My catt and oncidium are much easier.

disas... i killed 3 already and im on my last one.

the hard ones that are alive are
phrag kovachii seedling ( its growing new roots and i am ecstatic about it)

paph hangianum and paph emersonii (both have a reputation of being very slow and emersonii is apparently very difficult to bloom more than once)

I dont know if you would consider pleurothallids hard but I have plenty of those.

Is the phrag hard because of the wait? (Being a selling)

And I know I what you mean about the pleurothalids, I used to have a couple until I kind of just lost interest in that type of orchid.
Like I said, it is a pretty broad question to ask. Although everyone's answer so far seems to have something to do with disas. Very interesting.

Dendrophylax lindenii

Oh wait, we're talking about things that normal people actually sometimes grow well.

Aer. distincta. I am only now slowly, after 4.5 years, getting the hang of what this thing wants. Actually basically any angraecoid. I think there's a massochistic streak in a lot of orchid growers - the harder it is to grow, the more you just want to nail it.