Growing Rhynchostylis coelestis outdoors in Southern California

[flexdc]

Has anyone tried to grow Rhynchostylis coelestis outdoors in Southern California?
I am wondering if it would like the coolish nights (50f/10-12c). Anybody who had any experience with this please let me know.

Andrew
Los Angeles

[WhiteRabbit]

[epiphyte78]

Coincidentally I recently purchased Rhynchostylis coelestis from Oakhill when they had their 50% off sale. I mounted it on a section of pallet wood and included some New Zealand Sphagnum moss. Now it's hanging under shade cloth.

Haven't heard of anybody growing it outdoors in SoCal but it was 50% off and I've had Rhynchostylis gigantea growing and blooming outdoors for years. So figured I'd give coelestis a try.

How are your spatulata Dendrobiums doing? When I bought the coelestis from Oakhill I also bought D. lineale, D. antennatum and D. discolor. I plan on trying to cross them all with D. canaliculatum. I really love D. canaliculatum crosses.

A while back I stuck some D. canaliculatum x D. discolor crosses in my xeriscaped front yard and I was really impressed with how much sun and how little water they could handle. One of my goals is to try and increase the variety of epiphytic orchids that can grow on/with cactus and succulents here in Southern California.

[flexdc]

Wow you can make Rhyncho flower here? Amazing!!
I have a Rhynco retusa x Rhynco coelestis in SH and it has been sulking for years!!! Growing but no flower. I tried out doors last year and absolutely nothing!! I put it in a small green house the year before with a heater and it gave me 3 dinky little flowers I'm about to give up!
Here is the pic of the plant in SH (It has at least 4 more spans of leaves than in the picture now)

So I am just wondering if the retusa parent needs warmth. I heard coelestis can take the cold, fingers crossed.

As far as spatulata concern, I have one hybrid Den. Warawan. It absolutely loves my new house, which is much much brighter. It can take a bit of cold but I shelter it in the garage when it goes below 50. It has now been in flower for 10 whole months. It has not been growing, not that I am complaining.




I'd love to be able to see your set up some day! I live in Hollywood, I wonder what is the temp difference between Glendale and my area? Are you warmer in summer and cooler in winter than me? We seldom get down below 50 here. Let me know how your new Rhynco is fairing.

Best regards
Andrew

[Fairorchids]

Both Rhy gigantea and Rhy coelestis will do well under Cattleya conditions, with coelestis probably tolerating slightly cooler conditions than gigantea.

While most Vandaceous plants sulk if exposed to temperatures below 55F, I feel that coelestis should be fine down to 45F, and gigantea to 50F.

I grow all my Rhynchostylis in baskets. They need the air circulation, so I would not consider them candidates for SH.

If you water them enough (daily), in NJ they can be grown in full sun (after hardening for 10 days in part shade).

[801229001]

sh is not a good choice for rhynchostylis, i grow all three species and even though they tolerate more cold than other vandaceous species, they do not enjoy it very much. sh is good for cool growing plants because when the clay pellets get wet , they cool down but with warm growing plants , their roots will get too cold.

[nutgirl]

I have my Rhynchostylis coelestis (wood basket, lava rock) outside spring until fall. Full sun until 2 PM.

Last year I had it in my semi heated greenhouse until the night temps got into the low 40's, then I chickened out and brought it in for the rest of the winter. It was doing fine up until then so I'm going to try leaving it out again this year.

I know it's not optimum for it but I'm running out of room in the house.


Maureen

[epiphyte78]

Very generally speaking...I think that Hollywood is more mild than Glendale. Just the other night it got down to 47F here. A few years ago it even froze. Only lost a couple of orchids though. During summer it can get pretty hot...which most of my orchids appreciate. I try and focus on CAM orchids. They generally don't mind the cold as long as they have excellent drainage. Which is why I mount most of my orchids.

My R. gigantea isn't mounted though...it's just hanging in midair with some Spanish moss around its roots. I plan on attaching it to one of my trees. Right now too many of my trees are still too small.

I've drooled over R. retusa ever since I saw this photo of it growing on a tree. But I hadn't heard of anybody growing it outside here and it was always too darn expensive. Just recently though I found out from Roberta Fox that she's been having success with it outside. Now I just have to wait for Fairorchids to stop buying every single one on ebay.

Actually, my friend OrchidByte recently gave me a couple Rhynchostylis...retusa var. gigantea and gigantea. His temps are hotter/colder than my own and he wasn't having much luck with them. I immediately mounted them on some pallet wood with some moss. Every day I soak them in a bucket for at least 10 minutes.

I really like your Den's flowers. Can't believe you found it at TJs. Last time I went to TJs all they had were Phals.

You're definitely welcome to come over for a tour. Gotta warn you though that my place has been designated a disaster area by the Better Gardens Bureau. I skipped a spring cleaning...or two.