Hanging orchids & how to display them

This article is reshared from the Gardening Australia website. The full episode, SERIES 35 | Episode 33, can be watched on ABC iView or by clicking on the image included below.

Who doesn’t love orchids?

Tammy especially loves big epiphytic orchids – she shares a few of her favourite varieties and shows how to display them.

*Click the image above to watch the clip on the Gardening Australia website.*

There are more than 30,000 wild species of orchids – it’s one of the most diverse families in the plant world. Epiphytic orchids use their roots to attach to other plants, but they’re not parasitic – they just borrow some space to grow, drawing moisture from the air and feeding from fallen plant litter.

Mounting Orchids

What you’ll need:

Orchids – epiphytic species
Mounting materials can include anything with a slightly rough surface that the orchid’s roots can attach to: an old log, a sturdy piece of bark, or even a ceramic vase.

What you do:

How you prepare your orchid for mounting will depend a bit on its growth habit and the plant material you have. Tammy has chosen two varieties to demonstrate.

1. Dancing Lady Orchids

Dancing Lady Orchids (Oncidiums) are native to Central and South America. They grow from a rhizome, not a single stem, and have long sprays of tiny flowers, usually yellows, burgundy and browns.

To prepare the plant:

Take the plant out of its pot, being careful not to damage the roots.
Gently remove the growing medium around the roots, dunking it in a bucket of water to remove any excess.
Trim off any dead or damaged roots.

2. Laelia orchids

Laelia orchids originate from the tropics of Mexico to Brazil. They have a pseudobulb that holds water and nutrients, functioning like a camel’s hump. Tammy’s plant is quite big, so instead of mounting the whole plant, she will cut off just one section.

To prepare the section:

First disinfect some secateurs or snips to make the cut.
Look for a piece made up of at least two pseudobulbs (to ensure if has enough resources to grow on its own), and good aerial roots already forming. If it already has flowers, that’s a bonus!
Cut off the chosen piece.

To mount the orchid:

Look for natural crevices in your timber mount; this will not only make it easier to hold the plant until it becomes established, but water will gather here too, helping to keep it moist.
If there are no natural crevices, it’s worth making one.
To hold the orchid in place, choose some stretchy fabric that won’t dig into the plant – old hosiery is good for this.
Arrange the orchid so some of the roots are already in contact with the bark/surface.
Tie the plant in place securely with the hosiery/fabric. You might need to tie it at two points.
The roots will attach to the log in a few months’ time. After about a year they should be attached enough that you can remove the hosiery.
Place the mounted orchid in dappled light. If you can’t place it where it will receive rain – or in dry seasons – water it regularly.
Fertilise in the growing season with weak liquid fertiliser or a week tea made from worm castings.

Featured Plants

LAELIA ORCHIDLaelia cv.DANCING LADY ORCHIDOncidium cv.
Filmed on Dharawal Country | Heathcote, NSW