Dendrobium or Cattleya suitable for terrarium?

[Aleksa91]

Hello everyone!

I have finished setting up my first terrarium! Initially, I planned to keep mostly ferns and selaginellas, but then I decided to add a few orchids and three months later, I ditched everything and filled it with orchids only.

I keep it at room temperature (never above 25C even in summer, since I live in Germany), with 3 min morning misting and constant fan for air circulation. Conditions are rather humid, typically above 75%. I got a range of Pleurothallids (Lepanthes, Lepanthopsis, Anathallis, Pleurothallis), a few Bulbophyllum, Trisetella, Neofinetia, several Angraecoids as well as Sophronitis riograndensis (keep fingers crossed).

I am now looking for Dendrobium that would like these conditions, but they are either too big or they need a rest period. I have one D. jenkinsi as a test, which I plan to keep in a cold unheated room during winter. I also could not find a mini Cattleya or Laelia that would like these conditions, but there I have even less hope... I assume I'll have to stick to the standard terrarium genera, but I just wanted to check with you beforehand. Any suggestions would be welcome!

Cheers,
Aleksa

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[Roberta]

Cool and damp... could be a good environment for Dendrobium cuthbertsonii (which notoriously hates warm summers) They're beautiful and have flowers that can last months... if you can keep them alive. Your set-up sounds perfect for them! There are some other Papua New Guinea Dendrobiums (like vexillarius, and many related species) that also may do very well in the cool, humid environment. And very colorful. All of those mentioned are small. For Catts, Sophronitis maybe... but others probably not. But you could get seriously addicted to those high-elevation PNG Dendrobiums

[Aleksa91]

Thanks a lot for the feedback! I would definitely LOVE to try D. cuthbertsonii, but I am less worried about the heat and more about the cold. I know they love diurnal fluctuations. I plan to keep the window open at night as long into the winter as possible but I still think I won't be able to reach cool levels they enjoy... I'll definitely try, it is an amazing group of orchids.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Aleksa91

Thanks a lot for the feedback! I would definitely LOVE to try D. cuthbertsonii, but I am less worried about the heat and more about the cold. I know they love diurnal fluctuations. I plan to keep the window open at night as long into the winter as possible but I still think I won't be able to reach cool levels they enjoy... I'll definitely try, it is an amazing group of orchids.

I know that people in the San Francisco, California area grow D. cuthbersonii well. These grow in unheated greenhouse situations for several people that i know. So cool but not too cold, it's the cool summers, I think, that gives success for them (and not-cool summers that lead to failure for me) Certainly worth trying! Good luck!

[estación seca]

Agree with the above. Also Dendrobium hekouense, and several of the miniature creeping species that have bounced between genera Dendrobium and Dockrillia.

[Dalachin]

How about Cattleya jongheana or dendrobium laevifolium. Maybe you have considered them, but Phal lindenii and neofinitia falcatas might also like your conditions.

[Aleksa91]

Thanks a lot for the feedback! I was eyeing Dendrobium hekouense, and I already have one Neofinetia. I'll try to dig out some lowland species that does not need a prolonged winter rest.

[Roberta]

Den. hekouense is a great choice. I grown mine mounted, don't dry them out (just get some natural winter cooling) and they bloom nicely.

I learned to not worry about the "winter rest" thing spending a lot of time walking around the shadehouses of one of the biggest species growers in the US (Andy's Orchids). Plants are grouped by temperature needs (temperate outdoor climate, or intermediate greenhouse as needed) and light needs by vertical location. There are tens of thousands of plants, that all get the same treatment all year around (would be impractical to move things seasonally, mounted plants dry fast) , and they bloom well. They do get temperature variation, that may compensate for lack of water reduction. So I don't know how this observation translates to a more uniform, and controlled, indoor environment.

[Johndeaux22]

Perhaps look at some of the Rupiculous laelia species for your conditions. Some are quite small, they enjoy a cool/cold winter, and will tolerate a fair amount of humidity if mounted or potted appropriately.

[Roberta]

All the "Cattleyas" that used to be Sophronitis are small (good flower-to-plant ratio) and do fine with cool winters. Also the Hadrolaelia group such as C. pumila, sincorana, alaorii, bicallhoi (L. dayana), praestans, and the queen of them all, C. jongheana. Also C lundii. So there are LOTS of options for small, cool-growing Catts. I grow all of these outside on my patio (essentially no frost, but definitely chilly in winter), they are very forgiving of whatever Mother Nature throws at them.