Dendrophylax Lindenii - Ghost Orchid

[nvrbdun]

So after years of failing to grow ghost orchids, I found a way that works for me.

Most of my research came from the University of Florida in Gainesville Fl.

You do not have to mimic the Everglades.

The first thing to consider is the size of the plant. Smaller ( 1 inch roots ) don't do as well right out of the flask. The last 2 flasks I got had 5 or 6 plants with roots at about 3 inches long, they do the best. The other smaller ones I placed on a bed of Spanish moss on my Lanai out of direct sunlight. I was only able to keep 2 of the smaller ones from that bed of Spanish moss (after about 1 1/2 months).
I use Orca Premium Liquid Mycorrhizae to help establish plants right out of the flask. 6 drops per pint of water in a spray bottle. Young plants do not do well if they dry out to much. I spray (mist) up to 3 times a day. (Maybe more for newly deflasked) Let them dry out between waterings. Fungus for the ghost orchid seems to be key in acclimating from the flask (Orca Mycorrhizae). I am still playing with other Fungi to help this along better.
When you mount the orchid, it must be with new growth down. The photo below shows the wrong way to mount. It shows the new growth on top. This will never attach (never may be harsh) and will grow much slower.

New growth will attach to your mount and grow much faster if mounted new growth down (It is that important to mention over and over). Once attached they can grow about 3/4 to 1 inch per month during growing season (next year for newly deflasked). I tie the roots down on the mount with dental tape. It is flat and seems to hold well without cutting into the roots. I have never had luck with cork mounts (seems to dry out to fast). Cypress is working well. You need a hard wood to last over time. They will grow on almost anything as long as it will last over time. I have seen them grow well on upside down clay pots.
I have mine outdoors facing NE. They get good morning sun and indirect bright sun the rest of the day. I cover lightly with Spanish moss (Maybe20 -25%) This seems to dapple the early sun and keep moisture around the plants longer. I use collected rain water only. If you’re not able you could use distilled bottled (The U. of F. uses Municipal water and they do fine).
My fertilizer program is Orca (Premium Liquid Mycorrhizae 6 drops per pint of water in a spray bottle. I also use MSU fertilizer (1/4 strength), alternating once a week. On days with no rain, They get watered 3 - 4 time a day. Don't just mist them, water them. They are hung vertically so water runs off quick. They can go for a while without water and do okay. Mine seem to thrive with more. U.F. has their orchids on a timer for misting - 30 minutes every 3 hours, cut back to 10 minutes every 3 hours in the winter.
I do bring them into the house when the temp. gets below 50 degrees. Be careful of A/C drying them out.

First photo, How not to mount your ghost
Second photo Bloom July 2020
Third photo Spike June 2021

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[My Green Pets]

Awesome information, please breed these and make lots of babies!!

[Roberta]

Very nice! Where are you located? Humidity?

[DirtyCoconuts]

i am quite impressed

[MikeNYC7]

In your example of how not to mount I'm thinking that fresh root growth should be facing the mount so that as it grows it can become attached to the mount.
Is this correct?

Is there any other orientation to be concerned with? As far as an earth/sky situation, do longer roots point towards the sky or the earth or does that not matter so much?

[nvrbdun]

New growth will attach to your mount and grow much faster if mounted new growth down (It is that important to mention over and over). I have mine outdoors facing NE. They get good morning sun and indirect bright sun the rest of the day

[Ray]

I suspect the impact of the Orca product is more in the bacterial ingredients than the mycorrhizae formers.

Have you tried other products? Check your email.

[gdupont]

Originally Posted by Ray

I suspect the impact of the Orca product is more in the bacterial ingredients than the mycorrhizae formers.

Have you tried other products? Check your email.

1) Ray do you have a product in mind that would be worth trying? I did some digging and it seemed the mycorrhizae ingredients are actually quite taxonomically distant from the the mycorrhizae forming species found with D. lindenii in the wild. Do you know of an available product with the "right" microbes?

2) I find this upside-down mounting thing peculiar. Maybe there is something to it! But I might be more inclined to believe that it's about local humidity where the roots come out. Maybe its hard to grow the species "wet enough" to promote root emergence without issue, so a "hack" to that is to put the growing end of the roots against the mount because local humidity is higher there so the roots come out more easily. The alternative, then, would be making sure you get humidity right (wet nights, dry days, cycling) and the mounting direction wouldn't matter. I forget, though, if there is in situ evidence for this upside-down mounting idea, or if it's just from greenhouse experience by the UF team!