# How do you mount epiphytic plants?



## Herperboy (Jan 9, 2007)

Subject says it all. 

Thanks


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## TimStout (Feb 16, 2004)

For most orchids use a tuft of sphagnum moss around the roots and then tie the tuft to the mount with fishing line. If your mounting to the background use a stainless steele wire to hold it in place.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Search search search. Its the way to go! Yay!

I did a search and found this thread among MANY others...

http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/viewt ... mount+brom


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## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

Mounting Epiphytes

Since this subject comes up so often I’m going to do like Corey, and create a standard response.

In general there is no magic way to mount plants to bark, background or branches. Suggestions for ties range from cotton thread, to stainless steel wire, to fishing line. I’ve even herd that people have used hot glue, cyanoacrylate (crazy glue), and silicone to attach bromeliads to bark, or branches. I’m only going to suggest the things that I currently use, as these are the methods that I have the most experience with.

For branch mounting I invariably use brown cotton thread. To me it doesn’t look as unnatural as monofilament fishing line. It has the added advantage of rotting away in time. I suppose scraps of rotten thread could pose a hazard, in that, theoretically a frog could become entangled in them. I have not had problems with this though. Depending on the moisture requirements of the plant, I might tie a little sphagnum in around the base of the plant. One should exercise extreme caution when doing so, as this can easily cause rot in very damp vivs. It might be better to tie pieces of coconut husk around the base of the plant if the viv is overly wet. Keep in mind that a good many epiphytes want to dry out a little now and again.

For mounting plants on foam backgrounds, I like to use bamboo stakes. These are sold at the supermarket for making shish kebabs. You can also use tooth picks but the bamboo stakes are thicker and provide a more secure mount. These are especially useful for mounting bromeliads on foam backgrounds. What I do, is simply to place the plant up against the background, I then use two bamboo stakes to hold the plant up against the wall. The stakes go into the wall and up against the plant, not through it! When you are done the stakes will make an x with the plant held inside the cross. Then you take a pair of side cutters and cut away the extra bamboo. The bamboo will mold over almost immediately. The mold will give way to a dark mildew, which helps to camouflage the bamboo. In a few weeks you will forget that the bamboo is even there. My experience is that it is best not to mount bromeliads with sphagnum unless the viv is very dry. Also try to place these plants in open areas and do not bunch them up. Most bromeliads will rot in an overly moist viv if they are planted in cramped quarters. Tillandsias are particularly subject to rotting. They should be planted in the open and as close to the lights as possible.

Be aware that most vivarium orchids want to either to remain slightly moist (not soggy) or they want to dry out once in a while. Mount them with varying degrees of sphagnum depending on how moist they want to stay. Never mount them with a compressed clump of sphagnum, which is likely to remain too moist in the viv environment.

I haven’t mounted to cork yet but I suppose that the bamboo stakes will probably work there as well. Another option might be to try cyanoacrylate (crazy glue) This one seems to be less offensive to me than hot glue, which I think will cause too much tissue damage. Silicone also sounds like it would be of limited use. It takes too long to cure. I have not tried cyanoacrylate yet though so proceed at your own risk.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Okay we need this added to the damn sticky. :wink: 

I will add that I use bent pieces of orchid basket wire to mount my plants/broms epiphytically instead of bamboo. I don't like the idea of mold/mildew around my plants period and this wire does not do that. This is not to say that the mold/mildew will harm your plant, I just don't feel comfortable with it.


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## _Enix_ (Jul 31, 2005)

Two toothpicks in a "V" shape at the base pushed into the background, if thats where theyre going. 

If not on the background, I will use hot glue, fishing line, zipties or a combination.


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## stchupa (Apr 25, 2006)

I agree sticky, that'll shorten some traffic quite a bit. Not to say there is a whole in this section. Probably a decent 25% though.

I will add that I rarely use anything to mount epiphytes. Especially in an older grown in tank. In that case most all of the already established plants/moss can be used to hold the new ones in place. In new tank many epiphytes can be set be using their own parts, or I just make holes. If it's wood I will sometime predrill it.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

I use just about every method mentioned above but prefer the last method of using what is naturally there if I can. For wire I normally use aluminum and nothing with copper especially with bromes since they don't like copper. Most epiphytes root so fast that you only need something for a short period of time. The brown thread sounds like a good idea but I suspect it could rot before they take hold but sounds like Chris has had success with it so I may just try that also.


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## fishmommy (Dec 23, 2006)

I have taken to using stainless steel pins. These are long stick pins usually sold at sewing or craft stores. The great thing about them is you can stick them in harder substances like driftwood with no problem.
The ones I like have little plastic butterflies as the heads, which I don't mind seeing in my viv while plants take root, and makes them easy to find and remove when no longer needed.

They bend fairly easily if needed.

To make sure you have stainless steel pins and not something that will rust or otherwise react to moisture, I recommend soaking a pin for a few days to see what happens. Not all packages of pins will say 'stainless steel' or 'surgical steel', so I buy what I like and test it.


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## bstorm83 (Jul 16, 2007)

I don't know much about the plants yet but i wasnted to put little baskets in my background so i can put teh plants insdie them. Now i want some broms will they be easy to put in the baskets or is it best to put them somewhere else. How do the plants get nutrients to grow if they are mounts or placed in the baskets?


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2007)

I also like to use brown thread. For me its still hanging on well for almost a year now. I haven't really checked on how strong it still is though.

Thank you Chris for pointing out the dangers of using sphag in a moist environment. I learned this the hard way many months ago when attempting to mount a Masdevallia orchid in one of my tanks. Sphag for outside the tank not inside. :?


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## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

I’ll have to be careful. That 55 that I’m STILL WORKING ON will have a mounted Masdevallia in it. I’ll be sure to go very light on the sphagnum. :wink:


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

*To add*

EXCELLENT thread!

Allow me to add: 

1) Harry is right about copper wire and bromeliads. This is not debatable. For me, I use brown thread for small plants, monofilament line for medium plants, aluminum wire for heavier plants--how prosaic :wink: 
2) Chris is right about sphagnum, and plants whose roots need to breathe. But for some more delicate plants, like Microgramma, Begonia prismatocarpa or Columnea sp, a loose wrapping of moss can help them to establish.
3) Tree fern is a good mount for plants that need air around the roots;
4) Cork is especially good for bromeliads with stolons--just start a hole, and insert the stolon into the cork. It takes a while, but they do establish. I have done this with a two neos and Tillandsia tricolor (and Aechmea farinosa discolor outside my tank).
5)Feeding: You fertilize epiphytes by foliar-feeding. Spray them occasionally with a weak solution of animal-safe fertilizer, like DynaGro or DynaBloom.

QUESTION: Has anyone here ever tried Alsobia, Peperomia angulata or Pep. rubella mounted?


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## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

I can never let George go without an argument  ; I would caution that a brom stolon which is inserted into cork bark can be an invitation for rot. If it is done in an area that dries out, then this should be an acceptable method of mounting. I if the stolon remains continuously wet inside the hole in the cork bark, then something bad is bound to happen. Again this comes down to cultural differences, many newcomers to the dart world maintain tanks with little to no air circulation. These tanks are problematic for Broms in general. George keeps tree frogs in a partially screen topped enclosure. A useful rule of thumb might be as follows; The less ventilation your tank has the more out in the open the Bromeliads need to be. I have a friend who maintains a viv for random animals that he purchases at his local pet shop. It has a screened top and seems to be perpetually arid. In that tank you could plant broms in the dirt and they might die of dehydration. :?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

*Well...*

No argument here, Chris. 

Yes, my tank is partially screened, and the bromeliads mounted via their stolons can and do dry out (If anything, I have to spray every 1-2 days until they establish).

On the Black Jungle site, the slideshow has a demonstration of this technique.


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## Grassypeak (Jun 14, 2005)

BStorm, 
The basket idea works if the baskets are free draining with an open medium or no medium at all. You have to achieve a balance between the plant’s moisture requirements and it’s hatred of stagnant conditions. Some plants tolerate stagnation better than others. Vivs normally have very high humidity so an open medium or no medium (depending on just how “wet” the viv is) is usually best. With most epiphytes we are talking about plants that have their roots on open branches or buried in moss on branches. These are not anaerobic environments. In houseplant culture it is necessary to protect these epiphytic roots from desiccation. Our houses are typically dry. Vivs are typically not dry. Planting an epiphyte in a viv is more like planting an epiphyte in a tropical forest than on a windowsill. People seem to have a hard time getting away from houseplant culture though. Believe me you won’t need the baskets.


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

*Re: To add*



Groundhog said:


> EXCELLENT thread!
> 
> QUESTION: Has anyone here ever tried Alsobia, *Peperomia angulata* or Pep. rubella mounted?


*July '06*








*
July '07*


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

*My compliments to Antone*

Antone, 

That is very cool! 

Question: From what I see, it does not grow too quickly, so it would be manageable in a large terrarium--do you concur?

Also, in your experience, how do mounted peperomias compare to say, an asclepiad such as Dischidia ovata or Hoya curtsii--in terms of vigor, growth rate, etc;? 

I have been told that hoyas and dischidias may be more vigorous and grow faster than peperomias--but I have not grown enough peps to have an opinion. (In my tank, I once tried P. puteolata, which got too big too fast; I now have only P. rotundifolia--good plant, but does not tolerate boisterous animals very well).


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## Mywebbedtoes (Jul 2, 2007)

Antone. You have to coolest plants and tanks. Come to the Santa Barbara Iternational Orchid Show next spring and while you are here build me a tank! Looking forward to my plant order too.


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## Amphiman (Nov 8, 2007)

How do you mount a brom.(angel hair) with roots to a GS background?


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## Groundhog (Dec 17, 2006)

*Please clarify*

--What is an "angel hair" bromeliad? (Could you mean Spanish Moss?)

--What is a "GS" background? Clearly not cork bark or tree fern fiber--some kind of composite?

Please clarify these. amd we can answer your questions!


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

Amphiman said:


> How do you mount a brom.(angel hair) with roots to a GS background?


You must have food on your mind. Angel hair pasta is my favorite!  

I think you mean Neo. Angelface. If so, just use a bent piece of hangar around the base or you can also use bamboo skewers criss crossed. If those are too weak, you may end up having to plant it.

George, GS = Great Stuff (spray insulation foam)


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## Amphiman (Nov 8, 2007)

yah yah...angel face.. I don't know where i got angel hair...maybe because it was being sold as a pair Hair........ pair i don't know


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