Growing Media
 

(..a spur off of the discussion on abpo about orchids growing on tree
ferns.)

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?

Coconut husk No
Douglas Fir bark No
Cork Oak bark No
Charcoal No
Perlite No
Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know of
any
Osmunda (root system of the Osmunda cinnamomia fern)
Tree fern Yes! (sometimes)

Others?

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!

Rock, sometimes.

Ray schreef:
(..a spur off of the discussion on abpo about orchids growing on tree
ferns.)

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?

Coconut husk No
Douglas Fir bark No
Cork Oak bark No
Charcoal No
Perlite No
Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know of
any
Osmunda (root system of the Osmunda cinnamomia fern)
Tree fern Yes! (sometimes)

Others?

Ray wrote:
(..a spur off of the discussion on abpo about orchids growing on tree
ferns.)

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?

Coconut husk No
Douglas Fir bark No
Cork Oak bark No
Charcoal No
Perlite No

I think you should probably rule out the materials that don't occur
naturally. Otherwise, we might ask whether flowerpots support orchids
in the wild. Perlite is mined, but expanded perlite that we use is
manufactured from the mined material.

Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know of
any

IIRC, Habenaria repens, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Arethusa bulbosa.
Probably some others.

On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 05:54:47 -0400 in Ray wrote:
(..a spur off of the discussion on abpo about orchids growing on tree
ferns.)

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?

Coconut husk No
Douglas Fir bark No
Cork Oak bark No
Charcoal No
Perlite No
Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know of
any
Osmunda (root system of the Osmunda cinnamomia fern)
Tree fern Yes! (sometimes)

Others?

Persimmon tree branches. Maybe, but the branches tend to be attached to
growing trees in the wild.


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

"Ray" wrote in message
...
(..a spur off of the discussion on abpo about orchids growing on tree
ferns.)

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?

Coconut husk No
Douglas Fir bark No
Cork Oak bark No
Charcoal No
Perlite No
Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know of
any
Osmunda (root system of the Osmunda cinnamomia fern)
Tree fern Yes! (sometimes)

Others?

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!




What about marshmallows?

chaz

I agree, but those came out before caffeine this morning. Charcoal also
fits the "non-natural" medium. Yes, it CAN be natural, but it would occur
so rarely that a plant growing on it would be by the slimmest of chances.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


wrote in message
oups.com...

Ray wrote:
(..a spur off of the discussion on abpo about orchids growing on tree
ferns.)

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of
those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?

Coconut husk No
Douglas Fir bark No
Cork Oak bark No
Charcoal No
Perlite No

I think you should probably rule out the materials that don't occur
naturally. Otherwise, we might ask whether flowerpots support orchids
in the wild. Perlite is mined, but expanded perlite that we use is
manufactured from the mined material.

Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know of
any

IIRC, Habenaria repens, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Arethusa bulbosa.
Probably some others.

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?


Cork Oak bark No
- Yes for the Australian Native Cork and some Sarco species and other small
epiphytes. I actually have used many this as a mount many times as I find it
lasts well and seems to support the small plants well.


Charcoal No
- In areas known for fire, many aussie native terrestrials require the
charcoal to be present to signify the presence of fire before they will grow
and flower. Also have seen plants growing on burnt trees in areas where the
charcoal is older than the plant.


Perlite No

Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know of
any
- Many Aussie natives will grow on Sphagnum. ( Rentouls "Growing Orchids"
has photos of this in the wild)


Osmunda (root system of the Osmunda cinnamomia fern)

Tree fern Yes! (sometimes)
- Quite a few tree ferns will support orchids as will some Cycad species.


Kye.

For many of the plants that we encounter in Australia, charcoal can be
considered a naturally occurring material. After all we are one of the few
places in the world that has evolved plant life to support fires and the
natural eco-system requires it for much propogation.

Kye.

"Ray" wrote in message
...
I agree, but those came out before caffeine this morning. Charcoal also
fits the "non-natural" medium. Yes, it CAN be natural, but it would occur
so rarely that a plant growing on it would be by the slimmest of chances.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


wrote in message
oups.com...

Ray wrote:
(..a spur off of the discussion on abpo about orchids growing on tree
ferns.)

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of
those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?

Coconut husk No
Douglas Fir bark No
Cork Oak bark No
Charcoal No
Perlite No

I think you should probably rule out the materials that don't occur
naturally. Otherwise, we might ask whether flowerpots support orchids
in the wild. Perlite is mined, but expanded perlite that we use is
manufactured from the mined material.

Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know
of
any

IIRC, Habenaria repens, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Arethusa bulbosa.
Probably some others.

OK, but I've never seen persimmon anything sold as a medium...

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Artwork, Books and Lots of Free Info!


"?" wrote in message
rg...
On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 05:54:47 -0400 in
Ray wrote:
(..a spur off of the discussion on abpo about orchids growing on tree
ferns.)

Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of
those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?

Coconut husk No
Douglas Fir bark No
Cork Oak bark No
Charcoal No
Perlite No
Sphagnum Maybe some very wet growing terrestrials, but I don't know of
any
Osmunda (root system of the Osmunda cinnamomia fern)
Tree fern Yes! (sometimes)

Others?

Persimmon tree branches. Maybe, but the branches tend to be attached to
growing trees in the wild.


--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 18:04:09 -0400 in Ray wrote:
OK, but I've never seen persimmon anything sold as a medium...


I recall last year seeing some place selling/auctioning
off orchids mounted on persimmon branches.

But I could have crossed some wires upstairs and be misremembering
bromeliad supplies.

--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 00:44:34 GMT in Kye wrote:
Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?


Cork Oak bark No
- Yes for the Australian Native Cork and some Sarco species and other small
epiphytes. I actually have used many this as a mount many times as I find it
lasts well and seems to support the small plants well.

Completely and utterly off topic but...
Is the Australian Native Cork of the Quercus genus at all?
--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

To my knowledge no its not. If you would like, I have a few botanist friends
that I can ask for confirmation...

Kye.

"?" wrote in message
rg...
On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 00:44:34 GMT in
Kye
wrote:
Question for the group:

Considering all of the growing media variants out there, how many of
those
materials actually support orchids in the wild?


Cork Oak bark No
- Yes for the Australian Native Cork and some Sarco species and other
small
epiphytes. I actually have used many this as a mount many times as I find
it
lasts well and seems to support the small plants well.

Completely and utterly off topic but...
Is the Australian Native Cork of the Quercus genus at all?
--
Chris Dukes
Suspicion breeds confidence -- Brazil

No. It is --Erythrina vespertilio-- , a member of the family
Fabaceae.

J. Del Col