# A few orchids.



## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

I am in the process of building a 40b vert, and was looking at andys site and was curious if anyone has tried any of these orchids.

Dendrobium	cuthbertsonii
Dendrobium	laevifolium
Dendrobium	bifalce
Dendrobium	kingianum
Dendrobium	bracteosum (white form)
Dendrobium	prenticei
Dendrobium	quadrangulare

It says vivarium type but curious if you did anything special like with fans or something or if just opening the viv worked for these guys.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I have kingianum growing on a windowsill. I don't do anything too special for it though. It gets kinda big though, I think my plant (minus pot) is about a foot tall?


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

If you like mini Dendrobiums check out D. oligophyllum. Amazing viv orchid that can bloom for years straight if happy


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

Thanks frog. That one is pretty neat which I might want to try sometime.

Really hoping Mauran and Antone add some light to this ^.^


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

frogparty said:


> If you like mini Dendrobiums check out D. oligophyllum. Amazing viv orchid that can bloom for years straight if happy


This is a good tip.

I have wondered about _Dendrobium_. It seems like most are not very good for vivs.


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

I will post the tank when I get back from LA next week to maybe get some better opinions. But hydro what else would you suggest? Let's say, low airflow just in case I am not good with fans.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I'd say forget about cuthbersonii. Temp requirements are not likely to be met in a viv
Kingianum should work fine- similar to oligophyllum but not as reliable in a viv I've found
Laevifolium likes it hot, so up at the top of a viv near the lights might make it happy
Bifalce- same thing but its a larger plant. Can you give it +90 degrees?! Probably not in a frog tank
Bracteosum- hot grower! We're talking high 80s to 90s- bright BRIGHT light. 

Prenticei should do great if you give it high light and let it dry between waterings
Quadrangulare should work well too, but wants bright light and warm temps.

Basically what you have chosen.... With a few exceptions, are orchids that want both hotter temps and brighter light and more seasonal wet/dry cycles than most frog vivs can provide, especially if you expect them to bloom and re bloom.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

oh, and kingianum needs a cold period below tropical to bloom


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

Alright guys, then what would work >.< lol. I really want to try some orchids and would love some leads since what I thought was going to work, won't.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Restrepia: antennifera, elegans, brachypus, sanguinea, condorensis and many other species
Pleurothallis: allenii, microphylla, quadrifida, grobyii and many other species
Bulbophyllum: lasiochilum, plumatum, alagense, thaorium, tingabarinum, autatum, and many others
Gastrochilus japonicus
Haraella odorata
Encyclia (Dinema) polybulbon


There are so many, and so many good orchid threads on DB......


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

ya frog as soon as I posted this I said $h!t because I didn't even think of the search feature but have been looking and finding a few I really like.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

Oh, since you seem to like dendrobiums, here's a recent thread on the subject:
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/plants/115050-viv-suitable-dendobiums.html


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

VenomR00 said:


> I am in the process of building a 40b vert, and was looking at andys site and was curious if anyone has tried any of these orchids.
> 
> Dendrobium	cuthbertsonii
> Dendrobium	laevifolium
> ...


You're going to need fans for almost all orchids to do well in vivs. The only real exceptions are some Bulbos and Pleurothallids. From your list:

_cuthbertsonii_: not going to work unless you can drop your tank into the low 50s every night

_laevifolium_: This one should do well given there is a fan. I grow one in my orchid tank in the same conditions as my frogs. It needs a good amount of light, though. I have to diasgree about this one being a "hot" grower since it comes from the mid-high altitudes of New Guinea and Pacific Islands. It did very poorly for me outdoors with highs in the 90s. Once it moved to my tank indoors, it took off. 

_bifalce_: viv conditions would suit it, but you'd need an overly large one; way too big for most applications.

_kingianum_: gets too big and needs a cool, dryish winter

_bracteosum_: suitable for viv conditions, but gets way too big to be practically done in a viv

_prenticei_: This (and many of the others in the (sub)genus Dockrillia) would work as long as their in a spot that dries out

_quadrangulare_: viv conditions suitable but again way too big


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

VenomR00 said:


> It says vivarium type but curious if you did anything special like with fans or something or if just opening the viv worked for these guys.


In my experience orchids in vivs not only stay much healthier, but also grow twice as fast with fan air circulation. They really love that humid air blowing around. If you set up a viv with a fan you will also notice a clean, earthy fresh scent inside different from a stagnant terrarium or enclosure that just has vents.


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

Thanks so much guys for all the information. I live in AZ so I have to be careful on fans because of the dry air. How long do most of you do the fans for? 5minutes every few hours or so?


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

I keep my fans running all the time.

If you mist and if you have the enclosure buttoned up pretty tight then you shouldn't have to worry about it drying out.


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

Just keep the fans totally inside the tank...that way it circulates viv air and creates an environment of moving, moist air as opposed to venting outside, drier air in.


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

won't keeping them inside the tank end up rusting them out?


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## Spaff (Jan 8, 2011)

I just buy cheap, plastic, computer fans for like $2 shipped on Ebay. I've only had to change them out twice in the five years the tank has been running.


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

A couple of these have already been mentioned, but these are a few that have bloomed and then re-bloomed in my vivs. I don't like to recommend an orchid for vivs unless it has re-bloomed for me in a viv.

These are off the top of my head.

Bulb. alagense (small form)
Bulb. lepidum
Bulb. lasiochilum

Pleuro. allenii
Pleuro. cypripedioideae
Pleuro. trichostoma
Pleuro. tribuloides

Restrepia doddsonii

Masdevallia erinacea
Masdevallia sp. (purple floribunda type)

Scaphosepalum ovulare
Scaphosepalum breve

Obviously there are others but if they bloom and then re-bloom the next year, that means that the conditions are favorable to set flowers as well as for blooming and growing. These have done that for me.


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## VenomR00 (Apr 23, 2010)

Thanks Phil ^.^ More for me to research and learn.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Gastrochilus japonicus




Bulbophyllum plumatum


Ornithocephalus gladiatus + friend




Bulbophyllum kalimpong


PLeurothallis allenii


Dracula lotax


Restrepia brachypus


PLeurothallis fastidiosa


Dendrobium oligophyllum


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

oh wow that Gastrochilus is really nice!


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Its a great viv orchid....something different than a lot of people put in their tanks, which I like


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Frogparty is the go to guy for viv orchid advice. Nice post 'party.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Thanks Antone. I have killed more than a few trying to figure out what works well in what conditions. 

Ive gotten lucky, unlucky, and had some research pay off!


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## rollinkansas (Jun 9, 2008)

hydrophyte said:


> I keep my fans running all the time.
> 
> If you mist and if you have the enclosure buttoned up pretty tight then you shouldn't have to worry about it drying out.


Just for arguments sake and to provide a different outlook, I grow a ton of "vivarium" orchids with no fan, and get great growth and blooms out of a lot of them. Literally just a rubbermaid tub with a piece of glass on top and some lights. Not to say that a fan wouldnt be even more beneficial (i tried one for 2 weeks but it significantly raised the temp in my growing area), but I dont think fans are absolutely necessary to do well with the vivarium orchids we use.


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I used to grow a lot of orchids well in tanks with passive only ventilation......Fans are not a necessity for all, but definitely a BIG benefit for many. I just turn mine on for a few minutes a few times a day. Especially after a misting. 


Fans help me keep some plants happy that would melt otherwise in my vivs....Racinaea crispa especially.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

frogparty said:


> Thanks Antone. I have killed more than a few trying to figure out what works well in what conditions.
> 
> Ive gotten lucky, unlucky, and had some research pay off!


All the best growers I ever met have killed plenty of plants. It's a right of passage. 



rollinkansas said:


> Just for arguments sake and to provide a different outlook, I grow a ton of "vivarium" orchids with no fan, and get great growth and blooms out of a lot of them. Literally just a rubbermaid tub with a piece of glass on top and some lights. Not to say that a fan wouldnt be even more beneficial (i tried one for 2 weeks but it significantly raised the temp in my growing area), but I dont think fans are absolutely necessary to do well with the vivarium orchids we use.


Air movement really helps keep fungus away but if you have no issues with fungi then I could see why you have luck the way you do.

How did a fan increase your temps to the point that you decided not to use it? There ain't much to them.


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## rollinkansas (Jun 9, 2008)

Frogtofall said:


> Air movement really helps keep fungus away but if you have no issues with fungi then I could see why you have luck the way you do.
> 
> How did a fan increase your temps to the point that you decided not to use it? There ain't much to them.


The actual fan unit/housing (which was recommended by someone on this forum) got extremely hot to the point that it completely dried out and killed the orchids near by.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

rollinkansas said:


> The actual fan unit/housing (which was recommended by someone on this forum) got extremely hot to the point that it completely dried out and killed the orchids near by.


That's crazy. I never heard of that happening before but I can believe it.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

frogparty said:


> Thanks Antone. I have killed more than a few trying to figure out what works well in what conditions.
> 
> Ive gotten lucky, unlucky, and had some research pay off!


Oh, also thanks for the pics! often times people will post a list, and sometimes its hard to find good pics of the orchids


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Thanks! Sometimes I forget to take in viv bloom pics, but everything I e recommended I've successfully bloomed, then rebloomed in a viv


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## theroc1217 (Jun 5, 2012)

Dendrobium Peguanum! You might have to mount it directly onto wood with no substrate in a container, but it grows small and blooms awesomely.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

theroc1217 said:


> Dendrobium Peguanum! You might have to mount it directly onto wood with no substrate in a container, but it grows small and blooms awesomely.


Do you think it would be good for a viv though? I've read that it needs to dry out to re-bloom. As always, the internet has some amazing photos...


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

I recently picked up a Dendrobium dichaeoides (spelling?), we'll see how it does in a vivarium.


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## toaddrool (Feb 5, 2013)

Hi,

Over the years I have had good experiences reblooming some miniature _Phalaenopsis _orchids.
_Phalaenopsis honghenensis
Phalaenopsis lobbii
Phalaenopsis parishii_
_Phalaenopsis_ 'Lovely Kid' - a hybrid of the above two
_Phalaenopsis deliciosa_
All these have done well in tanks who have fans that exchange dry outside air with humid tank air. But the _P. deliciosa_ is unhappy in conditions that are too dry.
If you dry out the others, they might drop their leaves, but they are semi-deciduos which means they drop leaves in dry conditions, but come right back if you give them wetter conditions. 
I've also had luck with some plueros,
_Platystele stenostachya, Masdevallia floribunda, _

And I have also had crazy growth and yearly bloomings from _Ludisia discolor_
_Haraella odorata_ is a staple, but great little one.

I'm always experimenting and I just keep trying stuff others don't try or are too afraid to try, often leads to many failures, but thats how I learn.


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## gnathaniel (Mar 26, 2013)

Check out Dendrobium (Epigeneium) nakaharaei, it's one of the more moisture-loving Dendrobes I've grown and has a nice creeping habit with proportionally large flowers. Other small [former] Epigeneium and Diplocaulobium species might work well, too. Species in Dendrobium section Aporum (anceps, leonis, etc.) also seem worth a try and have interesting imbricate foliage even if they never bloom.

Caveat: I don't grow anything much under glass at this point, so these suggestions are based on what within my mixed orchid collection seems to enjoy high humidity with even moisture and temps throughout the year...


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## gnathaniel (Mar 26, 2013)

jacobi said:


> I recently picked up a Dendrobium dichaeoides (spelling?), we'll see how it does in a vivarium.


I'm interested to see how this turns out, dichaeoides is a gorgeous species that would look great in a nice viv. What kind of vegetation does yours have, unbranched deciduous stems or branching ones without clear abscission lines?


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## jacobi (Dec 15, 2010)

gnathaniel said:


> I'm interested to see how this turns out, dichaeoides is a gorgeous species that would look great in a nice viv. What kind of vegetation does yours have, unbranched deciduous stems or branching ones without clear abscission lines?


Since a picture is worth 1000 words... that's my index finger next to it for size reference.


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## gnathaniel (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks! Looks like the branching type, then, I've seen this referred to as the 'true' dichaeoides with the unbranched type called limpidum, but I've never been able to find info to independently corroborate that...


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## Giga (Mar 31, 2011)

I need another job just to buy all this orchids!


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I just wanted to add some pictures for the mentioned orchids on the thread

Restrepia antennifera









Restrepia elegans









Restrepia sanguinea









Restrepia condorensis









Pleurothallis microphylla









Pleurothallis quadrifida









Pleurothallis grobyii









Bulbophyllum lasiochilum









Bulbophyllum alagense









Bulbophyllum tingabarinum









Bulbophyllum auratum









Haraella odorata









Encyclia polybulbon









I'll look up more pictures later


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

Excellent Restrepia shots!!!! Love that genus!!!!!!


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

oh i should mention that they're not mine and I pulled them off of google images lol


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