Suggestions on miniature orchids

[kinknstein]

Finally back into the hobby after years away. I used to grow under lights and could accommodate much larger plants, but now have limited space and would like to grow some smaller or miniature sized orchids.

What are your favourites? I have a bright south facing window, and also north facing windows. Gets fairly cool at night, down to 17C (62F) and up to 23C (73F) during the day

[Dollythehun]

Oncidium Twinkles, any of them! Also Tolumnias! Very rewarding. I like others too but these are my favorites.

[camille1585]

I grow in roughly the came conditions as you, and my personal favorites are:

Miniatures
Sophronitis cernua (now Cattleya)
Podangis dactyloceras
Leptotes bicolor


Small/compact
Phal equestris (and many primary hybrids tend to be small)
Phal pallens
Neofinetia falcata (this orchid is an obsession within the orchid obsession)
And I agree about the Onc Twinkles!


I didn't realize until making this list that nearly all my favorite small plants are species.

[kinknstein]

Great suggestions, thank you. I have had my eye on Leptotes bicolor and Sophronitis cernua!

[Leafmite]

How small do you mean? Some of my favorite small orchids are
1) Den. lichenastrum/prenticei (I have four and the flowers are all a little different).
2) Schoenorchis scolopendria and Schoenorchis fragrans. I love the little fragrant purple flowers.
3) Angraecum didieri, distichum, and leonis. I am still trying to get over the Angraecum obsession I once had. I have the 'large' Angraecum magdalenae, too.
4) Bulbo frostii has neat flowers and a cute plant form out of bloom.
5) Haraella rectrocalla blooms all the time and has fragrant flowers. It needs quite a bit of humidity to be happy so I keep it in a table-top terrarium.
6) Phal japonica
7) Leptotes bicolor is definitely a good choice. I am tempted to get a few more varieties of Leptotes.

[orchidsarefun]

Masdevallia. At those temps you'll have plenty to choose from.

[Ruiza5]

Orchid Dendrobium mohlianum x puniceum
Orchid Dendrobium tetragonum
Orchid Dtps. Jin Ho Cherry x lobbii
Orchid Ionocidium Popcorn 'Haruri'

There are my favourite ones. Especially the last one. I am crazy about this plant since I got it.

[Bulbopedilum]

Dendrobium subulatum
Dendrobium pachyphyllum (Fragrant)
Dockrillia rigida / Dendrobium rigidum (Fragrant)

They have all been easy growers for me and frequently bloom. They also look nice out of bloom, especially subulatum and rigidum.

[Paul]

Your RH will affect your options. To expand your useable space, you might also put some Plexiglas or glass shelves in the windows (be less noticable and allow light to pass through). You could also hang plants in the upper area of the window.

Also, as you likely already know, if you really want minis, check with the vendor to see if what they are calling "mini" really is. Many consider plants that are up to 9-12 inches (23-30.5cm) tall "mini". Others follow AOS standards wherein "mini" indicates a plant will remain no more than 6 inches (15.2cm) tall upon maturity. (No idea what standards the COC uses.)

Your northern window should be good for plants which can handle lower light. As such you might try any number of members of the Pleurothallid Alliance. Such as:

• Dendrobium cuthbertsonii
• Dracula: most need hung in mesh pots or mounted though some like D lotax do not
• Masdevallia
• Scaphosepalum (one of my favorite genera ... love the little "mouths" with their mustaches)

The north window window may prove suitable for one or more terrariums for micro mini orchids like:
Lepanthes calodictyon or telipogoniflora
as well as any number of other micro mini pleuros

Other general mini orchid suggestions for your windows:

• Dendrobium/Dockrillia cucumerina (cute cucumber like leaves)
• Maxillaria variabilis
• Paphinia
• Paphs (there are some that have a very small "footprint")
• Phal parshii or lobbii or their hybrid Lovely Kid

If you really want to torture yourself, check out the "Minatures" section of Andy's Orchids. Just be sure to leave your wallet and credit cards in the care of a friend or loved one and put some sort of plastic drool shield over your keyboard.

[Maryanne]

I'd like to add
Mystacidium capense - which I grow hanging in the east facing kitchen window. It's in bloom now, but I don't have a photo ready.
and
Schoenorchis gemmate, also hanging in the same window. It is in early spike now.
Both seem to be tractable, are able to withstand low humidity in winter as long as they get a regular water spray, and have blossomed mostly on time. Try them out!
Happy growing
Maryanne