I'm taking the plunge! (or maybe not)
 

I really like coelogynes, so I've decided to add some to my collection. I can afford to buy exactly two plants, and I've already made my choices.

I decided that I want to buy a C. cristata and a C. usitana. But before I do, I want to know more about their culture, and whether or not they will be able to take the warm climate. I wanna make sure they'll last a long time in my care, and that they won't perish unexpectedly on me. :blushing:

I think you'll find cristata very easy to grow. Mine got so large so quickly that I finally gave it to another grower that had a lot more space than I have! I tried a usitana (love the blooms) but it didn't do well and died within a fairly short time so I've concluded that it is more difficult to handle. Best of luck with yours and I'll look forward to photos.

:)

Coel. cristata is quite easy but I do grow it very cold. It's in a room where it's about 17-18 degrees celcius during the day and 10-12 at night (It is winter here now). It does well here but mind you, it blooms everywhere, kept it in my livingroom last year. It does like to be quite wet. Dunno about the other coel you have your eyes on :).
They're great plants to have, can't believe why people won't have any in their collection! :p
Good luck with the decision making and the growing!! :)

these should be warm growing - at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden along with Mangroves, Vandas, Cattleyas...

asperata and rochussenii

Coelogynes come in basically two types,cool growing from India ,Nepal and such,and warm growers from Malaysia,Indonesia,and surrounding areas.Some good candidates to grow in Florida would include C.pandurata.C.lawrenciana,C.asperata,and the hybrid C.'Burfordiense' to name a few.Good luck with them.I grow cristata,lawrenciana, and the related Otochilus and Dendrochilum.I don't know why more people don't grow these,they are great plants.

I'm only in my first year w/cristata and haven't yet rebloomed it but I understand this one to need a cool rest in the winter in order to bloom. ??

Of the warm growers I'm familiar w/and think are relatively easy...pandurata, asperata, speciosa, and Bufordiense. High, high light...year round heavy water....and warm temps. Heads up though...seems the warm growers...at least all of mine...get to be very large plants.

Katrina: Coel. cristata likes a cool winter rest indeed, as soon as the weather warms up a bit, here that normally happens in February, they start to become active again and spikes normally appear on mine at that time :).

My usitana does just fine in Hawaii. I have it growing in a basket, though most of the media has disappeared and its mostly just a root ball. I keep meaning to repot it but its doing just fine and is currently putting out a new growth and a spike. It seems to like surprisingly high light for a plant with such dark green leaves. They don't seem to lighten up with added sun. I also have pandurata and Bufordiense, though neither have bloomed for me yet. Both of those are stunning flowers and I have seen many amazing displays from those two plants here in Hawaii.

Thanks for confirming that Renee. Mine is in one of the coolest spots I can have it and yet keeping the light high. Fingers crossed I get it to bloom.

isurus -- in my experience pandu and Buford won't bloom w/out exceptionally high light. When I increased the light (and moisture)...both bloomed for me. Actually my pandu just finished blooming and this was after I ripped it off of a cork mount this past Jan/Feb. They spent the summer in an area that received 3500-4500 fc on cloudless days. Don't know if that'll help any or not.

Angurek....I love the coels and if I had more space I'd have more. Good luck in deciding which 2 (or 10;)) you're going to get.

I recently threw mine in high light with the assumption that it would help them, so I'm glad that you are confirming my guess! I also threw so spag on top of my Bufordiense to help retain some more moisture. It is potted in a very large pot with upside down 2" pots on the bottom, large size bark and slits in the side. I think it was drying out too quickly so the spag on top should help retain some moisture.