Most of the seedlings didn't make it...but here's a recent photo of the largest seedling...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8219/8...109e3e9bd3.jpg
Dockrillia, Crassula, Orchid seedling by epiphyte78, on Flickr

I have several seed pods in a bag...mostly of Reed Stem Epidendrum. I'll sow them in a few months but I'll probably try and use an eye dropper this time.

Has anybody else tried sowing orchid seeds directly on their orchid trees?

---------- Post added 01-19-2013 at 12:25 AM ---------- Previous post was 01-18-2013 at 11:49 PM ----------

I can't remember exactly but I think most of the protocorms were around live roots.

The spores are even smaller than orchid seeds...so when they are released the wind could take them anywhere I suppose.

Nope, too small!

From what I've read...I think that plants can choose which fungus they associate with...Plants and Fungi Play the 'Underground Market'.

Few of the seedlings survived. I think that slugs were the biggest culprit.

None of my neighbors "water" their trees...so I don't think that the fungus would survive on their trees. It would be a different story in Florida though.

your experience and a couple of others I have read about has inspired me to try a similar thing on an indoor mounted orchid. I have a c cernua seedpod that should be mature in about a month and I am going to spread seed around

1) the roots of a mounted bc yellow bird that I have.
2) the roots of the c cernua

I don't expect much, but who knows...

Excellent photographs and lots of good information. Thanks for posting this.

That's great that you're going to give it a try! Hopefully one of those orchids has the appropriate fungus in its roots.

Here are a couple of my favorite photos of cernua growing on trees... C cernua in cultivation and C cernua in situ.

One thing you might consider trying is to attach a division of your cernua to a bonsai. Here's my Jade plant "bonsai" that I attached a couple dozen miniature orchids to...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8355/8...6f679c95_n.jpg
Crassula Bonsai With Orchids 3a by epiphyte78, on Flickr

The "bark" is totally smooth though so I don't think I'd be able to sow orchid seeds on it.

Wow that is really beautiful. I am more than just a little envious!!! Must be wonderful to live somewhere warm and be able to do that....Sorry I think I have the winter blues up here.....sigh...I want that tree....in my living room.

Cool!

I'm with Aki James, I'd love to be able to grow tropical orchids outdoors! It must have been an exciting thing for you to discover epiphyte78! Great to see the close up pics too.

Thanks for the update. It's wonderful that one of the seedlings survived.

Glendale, California is sometimes visited by frost maybe every other year....otherwise you can grow some orchids outdoors all year. Some Dendrobiums can withstand a couple of weeks of frost and the thermal heat emanating from the tree will save it. There must be a beneficial fungi on that tree that nourishes the seeds and provide it with the necessary sugars for growth. Just as the trees that the ghost orchids grow from in the glades that allows them to attach to the bark and thrive= whereas in captivity indoors it is hard to grow ghost orchids....it must be something in the bark, the humidity and the temperature cycle of the seasons.

The seedlings are all looking like Laelia anceps...

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2858/1...a3b3e2c0_z.jpg
Laelia anceps Volunteer by epiphyte78, on Flickr

Here's the larger version of the photo.

I know I sowed other types of orchids...so why only Laelia anceps? Maybe because the other orchids require a specific type of fungus that isn't present on my tree. And/or perhaps the conditions on my tree are too harsh for the other orchids that I tried?

My Mexican Laelias are all starting to bloom...so I'm going to cross them with Cattleyas, Encyclias, Brassavolas...and see if any of the crosses will germinate on my tree.

Anybody want to guess how long it will take to select for an epiphytic orchid that can naturalize here in Southern California?