Appropriate wood for mounts?
 

Hi all!

Apologies if this question has been asked before... but I'm curious what types of wood are okay to use for mounting. For example, I've heard that resinous or sap-producing woods are not good for growing plants on - is that true? Any types or classes that should be avoided?

Thanks in advance!

My favorite is cork oak bark, and most hardwoods are OK, but when using lumber for flat slab mounts, I go with cedar or redwood.

A rough surface (bark firmly attached) gives the roots something to grab on to. I have had very good luck with the "core" of tree fern (without the fuzz or fiber) but it breaks down in a few years. Lately, I have been using bottlebrush wood (got a bunch when a neighbor cut down a tree) ... it has rough bark, and is quite hard, seems to last well. And plentiful where I live. So yes, I'd stay away from anything resinous, go for the "hard" and "rough bark" criteria, exactly what is available depends on where you live... when someone is cutting down a tree, see what you can score,

How did you treat the wood before using it?

I gathered a good amount of pine bark from a tree that was being taken down, rinsed it well, oven cooked it for sterilisation, and let to dry; I thought it was safe, but when I mounted a plant, it lost all its roots in 2-3 days when a fungus took over.

I don't treat the wood at all... just stack it in my garage or on the patio until I'm ready to use it. Bottlebrush does not have any noticeable resin. (That is likely the problem with pine.) Even when dried it may leave compounds that are hostile to orchids. Cedar works OK, but I think not great. (Andy's Orchids uses a lot of cedar shingles - untreated is important) but most of the plants I have gotten with mounted on those I end up remounting within a year or two if not sooner because they really don't adhere very well), Redwood some do and some don't, generally find it's not great. I have occasionally obtained branches of cork oak when someone trims a tree, the rest of the cork (slabs and such) that I use I had to buy.

There are a few things I consider but mostly how hard the wood is.
I have used branches and cuttings from many southern hard woods and a lot of just regular untreated pine lumber too.

I use mostly untreated cedar shingles now. It's pretty rot resistant but when it does start to break down all you have to do is glue a new one to the back and you're good to go for several more years. I've also used grapevine which can be fun because of the twisty shapes you can get out of it.

Roberta--- I think Andy uses a lot of bottlebrush as well. I know he told me he has a source for some kind of local wood and I'm pretty sure I remember it being bottlebrush.

I have gotten a few things on bottlebrush wood from him, not many... it's all matter of timing. Those trees are really common in landscaping in southern California, so getting it is a matter of knowing someone who is trimming or taking down a tree. Andy has such a vast number of mounted plants, he sources a variety of woods, whatever he can get. For awhile it was manzanita (which is very hard and durable, but smooth, better for some things than others)

I have a great bottle brush. Keysguy, if you want a bunch of pieces just let me know and I’ll cut and set them aside for you for one day when you are near Broward

I use oak, but please note that it is not cork oak. The durability is excellent and the bark on it very nice for roots to attach to. It is quite expensive in comparison with other alternatives, but I guess over the long term it will be the cheapest as it seems to last “forever”.