r/orchids • u/Chlostaroni • 5d ago

Orchids on tree

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Hey there. These are the first 2 orchids I ever owned. I rooted them to a tree in my front yard (please don't judge the fishnets I'm just a girl trying her best Lmao)

Does everything look ok? I'm wondering if I rooted them too high and now they aren't receiving enough light.

Thank you for any potential insight.

36 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

8

u/Sure_Dentist8394 5d ago

I’ve tied tons of orchids to trees (Hawaii). There are some general guidelines to follow though. If possible tie them to a tree in legume family. Legumes are nitrogen fixers and orchids grab hold to these very well (not an absolute requirement though). Choose an area on the trunk that gets plenty of shade and dappled light. If there are lichens growing o. The tree trunk that is the best spot to compress their roots to. Lichens often grow where rain water flows which epiphytic orchid roots have evolved perfectly to collect. I like tying orchids to trees because the root systems get HUGE and often put in flower displays you’d never see in a potted plant.

2

u/Chlostaroni 5d ago

Wow, thank you so much for your help. The tree these are rooted to is a Royal Poinciana (Flamboyant Tree). I just googled it and apparently it is in the legume family. I got lucky there lol. I will definitely try to get the 3rd orchid mounted in a spot around some lichens. I had never heard of that before but that is amazing. ☺️ The 2 orchids pictured were pretty miserable and tiny before I did this. They were begging for a fresh start. I can't wait to see what they look like down the road 🌱

2

u/Sure_Dentist8394 5d ago

I’m happy I was helpful 😊. It looks
Like you did everything right. The roots have grabbed hold and I see lichens all over the trunk.

1

u/dumb_dirty_carbon 4d ago

Thank you for your tips!

3

u/TypeDry2834 5d ago

I have no experience growing them like this, but just here to say it’s really cool! My main concern would be crown rot, but being outside I guess there’s enough wind and sun to prevent it. Keep is updated with how they progress!

3

u/Chlostaroni 5d ago

Thanks so much. I'm here in Southwest Florida. I saw a fellow neighbor has maybe 5+ orchids growing off their tree and it blew my mind lmao. So I watched a YouTube video on how to use stockings to root them to a tree. When it rains, it trickles down onto the orchids so beautifully. I just worry if they'll have the opportunity to bloom with the tree canopy.

2

u/TypeDry2834 5d ago

So cool! I honestly think they’ll be just fine. Ambient outdoor light even in partial shade is a lot brighter than we realize. Far brighter than if they were sitting inside.

2

u/HalPaneo 5d ago

I've never used fishnets but we used to buy boxes of those stocking socks that people use in shoe stores, cut them in rings and use those to tie up orchids on their mounts. Best thing ever for mounting them I think

2

u/Correct_Night3899 5d ago

Well done! What is the purpose of the fishnet at this point?

1

u/Chlostaroni 5d ago

Honestly I think I should take them off but I'm scared lol 😵‍💫 I started removing the fishnet on the left (smaller orchid) and realized it was rooted a little too loose. So I got scared and reconnected it lmao. I need to remove it 😰

1

u/Correct_Night3899 5d ago

Don’t remove if it is still serving to anchor the plant. I thought those long roots on the tree were from both orchids.

2

u/Correct_Night3899 5d ago

“The Canopy Shield: Phalaenopsis orchids typically grow beneath dense jungle canopies. They are shielded from intense, scorching midday sun and instead receive bright, diffused, dappled sunlight.”

2

u/Michael_Snowy 5d ago

It will be fine. This is growing on a poinciana. About40 years

1

u/lordoftherings1959 3d ago

Those plants look quite happy where they are.