Orchids for Small Terrarium on Windowsill

[epiphyte_neophyte]

What would thrive in a small terrarium near my west-facing windowsill in NYC? I have a geometric terrarium that measure 11''x11''x11''. See image attached. I plan on keeping 1-3 small plants on slabs or in small pots. I could also lay out pebbles and moss on the bottom. Also, the terrarium doesn't need to be right on the windowsill- I can move it back or closer to light as needed. Any suggestions or ideas?

Ideas I have are:

Macodes petola
Ludisia discolor
Haraella odorata
Angraecum didieri
Amesiella monticola
Aerangis luteo alba var. rhodosticta
Aerangis punctata
Phalaenopsis lindenii

PS I am new to terrariums.

[Leafmite]

I haven't tried my angraecum didieri in a terrarium but the haraella rectrocalla seems to love being enclosed in a clear box so I would definitely recommend it. Another I would recommend is ornithophora radicans. It is fragrant and really loves water and humidity. I grow this down in a plastic take-out container (without the lid). Good luck!

[Yéri]

That looks like a fun terrarium! I also have Haraella retrocalla and it does seem to thrive in a terrarium, seems you can't go wrong with this one

I'm growing A. punctata, a hydrid of A. luteo alba var. rhodosticta and Angraecum didieri together in a terrarium and well, the Aerangis are still a bit young to be flowering but both are growing really well and the Angraecum didieri has a flower spike.

So I would recommend all those as well!

Good luck and keep us updated

Yéri~

[Ordphien]

Hah! I have that exact terrarium.
Out of curiosity what did yours cost you?
I can't help but feel like I got cheated price wise.
I'm using mine for butterflies though.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[epiphyte_neophyte]

Thanks for the advice Leafmite & Yeri. I will try Haraella retrocalla on twigs. I'm also going to try Macodes Petola on the ground portion, with some cover from taller rocks. Any other ideas for small orchids for the twigs?

Yeri- does your Angraecum didieri get good air movement in your terrarium? A few sellers have warned me that no air flow would hurt this plant. This made me shy away even though I want to try it.

Ordphien- I got mine at a local store for $80. It was pricey but I was persuaded by the unique design.

[Island Girl]

Be sure to post pics when u get it set up! Would love to see what you've done I love that terrarium you have

[Island Girl]

Oh, I have an orchid to add! (I can't believe I didn't remember it when I first posted on ur thread a few days ago!) Lepanthopsis astrophora 'Stalky' look it up in the forum... You will love it! TONS of little purple flowers all over (like 60-100 flowers on mine, and that's in a 1in. pot!). I have two, they r easy to grow & flower, tiny - 1 inch pot, I keep mine in a glass terrarium about +/- 8in away from an eastern window, in a sunrm that gets south-eastern light (u could put in a western window, either shaded by other plants, or a little ways away from the window), they need (their potting media) to be moist all the time, need high humidity to grow well & to bloom... ALOT like Haraella retrocalla in culture, but I think Haraella retrocalla can go drier w/o prob. Mine have a few gaps to open air for air exchange, but no active fans inside (the glass case is too small for that!) or outside, so no breezes blowing, and they do great with that! (at least in my environment... But I've also heard that others find it just as easy to care for)

[The Orchid Boy]

Ascocentrum pumilum and Mexipedium xerophyticum are my suggestions. I love them both!

[epiphyte_neophyte]

Thanks Island Girl and The Orchid Boy for your suggestions! The Lepanthopsis and also Mexipedium both look unique and having me thinking. I should be making orders this week, so I can post first look pics of the terrarium in before June ends.

[epiphyte_neophyte]

Quick update on my warm-growing windowsill terrarium. I set this up in late June- it's now 6 weeks later and everything is slowly growing in. I attached one shot of the whole terrarium and 1 close up. I used my iPhone, so the quality is average. I also have an intermediate terrarium that I will post separately.

The warm terrarium includes:

1. lepanthes calodictyon (grew 1 new leaf)
2. lepanthes telipogoniflora (grew 4 new leaves)
3. haraella retrocalla (flow spike initiated, with bug showing)
4. bulbophyllum tingabarinum (1 new growth)
5. macodes petola (2 new leaves, new roots)
6. sinningia pusilla, white sprite (sprouted from seed- these are small 1'' plant related to african violets)

I grow this in medium light, with temperatures between a high of 77 and a low of 65. Humidity is above 70% and most likely higher. All the plants have grown new leaves and the haraella has a flower spike. The lepanthes calodictyon flowered on 2 leaves, but I didn't get an picture before they were done. The sinningia pusilla have sprouted (I planted seeds) and they should flower in the next 3 months. I'll post updates as more plants grow and flower.