Cool Orchid Terrarium

[ATester]

So, Sue inspired me to start building a terrarium for cool moist growing orchids like my Restrepias, Masdevallia and my lone Pleurothallis. I just went and priced out tanks today. There are some reeaaalllly cool terrariums on the market but not quite for me. I'm thinking 20-29 gallon range. So....as for companion plants....right now I am thinking heliamphora, some of the smaller ferns, maybe some tillandsia if they are amiable to that kind of atmosphere. Any suggestions? Anyone familiar enough with Heliamphora enough to say "yay" or "nay" to a cool growing tank?

Even though I am currently in my last days at the greenhouse I was am working for before working for the State Dept. our water gardening guy Booker is going to help me out with designing the irrigation/drip/mist system. Ooo...and would some Saracenia be also amiable to a cool tank? Even though they are not species usually found together, I think it might be too difficult to stick to a strictly Cloud Forest tank.....I'm sure that there are alot of plants that are just simply not on the market.

[Diane]

Even though I am currently in my last days at the greenhouse I was am working for before working for the State Dept..

You are going to work for the State Department?? The US Department of State??? Condy's place? Wow.

[ATester]

You are going to work for the State Department?? The US Department of State??? Condy's place? Wow.

Well, part of the state dept....I'll be working in a passport office...so, not with Condy....more like, she may show up at the thing in DC that they'll send us to for a photo op, shake hands, what ever....but being a gov't bureaucrat I'll not be (excuse my Yoda grammar)....more like...ok, so this person sent their app and photo, but the photo won't work....send us a new one...stuff like that......nothing glamourous.

[Tindomul1of9]

Lots of nepenthes (pitcher plants) do well in cooler climates. I don't know which, but they are out there.
I don't anything about saracenia. Is that a carnivorous plant too? Never heard of heliamphora, sounds tall, lol.
Broms like lots of lighting, but can do well in shady spots I think.
Be sure to post pics of your orchidarium when its finished!!

[ATester]

Lots of nepenthes (pitcher plants) do well in cooler climates. I don't know which, but they are out there.
I don't anything about saracenia. Is that a carnivorous plant too? Never heard of heliamphora, sounds tall, lol.
Broms like lots of lighting, but can do well in shady spots I think.
Be sure to post pics of your orchidarium when its finished!!

Saracenia are the North American pitcher plants, Nepenthes are the tropical ones from what I have read. So, yes, Saracenia are CPs, as are Heliamphora though they look less intimidating than Nepenthese and Sarecenia....I believe they are South American (Venezuela from the odd plateaus like the one Angel Falls cascades from). Unlike the American and tropical pitchers, the hood that comes over the pitcher is vestigial and doesn't keep the outside water from coming in. The pitcher is rather rigid and can be brittle is handled roughly. As to their growth requirements, I am not sure about tempertures, but in bright light they are rather showy with yellows tinged with reds and purply colours. Anyone else familiar with them?

[Diane]

Well, they all sound like they would be great to see in bloom. Especially the Heliamphora - with Heli being Greek for Sun, and Amphora being Greek for those semi-pointed bottom 2 handled jugs.... So yellow and red would be the Heli part, and amphora would be the jug - or pitcher... gonna have to google for a picture.

[ATester]

Be sure to post pics of your orchidarium when its finished!!

Since I am slated to do quite a bit of camera work on some other projects, I plan on it. The real decision comes down to whether or not to shoot it as slides or as negative....I'll have to steal every available light in the apartment to do it too.

[Gin]

Just a word about Neps. mine are huge the gentle has pitchers that are close to 10 inches long the alata has smaller ones but grows like crazy , both of mine like warm , moist bright light , maybe there are smaller types the 2 I have are the common ones . Gin

[Piper]

Also keep in mind fertilizer requirements. I believe Neps want none (I think all carniverous plants are fert intolerant). You'll want to make sure the guys that want fert get it, and the ones that don't don't.

Julie

[Tindomul1of9]

Julie I never considered that. Will they reject natural fert?