8 replies to this topic

[gilles06]

Hi palm lovers,

I would like to know if there are some orchids that can thrive in a z9 mediterranean climate?
I think the problem will be the summer drought.
Maybe some Cattleya and Laelia, but what about drought?

Salut.

[Stevetoad]

I'm growing, epidendrums, cattleyas, dendrobiums, Oncidiums, and a few more all outside mounted on trees. I run drippers to them so I don't have to hand water them. All have grown well and bloomed. I have dendrobiums blooming right now. Orchids are very tough plants and seem to thrive when ignored so I'd give any a try and see what happens.

[bahia]

There are many, many different species of orchids that will grow well in a Mediterranean climate as long as they receive irrigation as necessary in the dry months, and some will prefer to remain dryer in the winter. There are also many southern European and South African terrestrial orchids that grow in winter and need no irrigation, but few are commercially propagated for sale.

In my cooler coastal influenced Berkeley, CA location, I've done especially well with hybrid Cymbidiums, species Epidendrums such as capricornu and porphyrum, Sobralia macrantha, Dendrobiums, Bletilla striata.

[palmmermaid]

I think some of the angraecums from the srid parts of Madagascar would do well there.

[bahia]

It will also depend on how cold your zone 9 location gets in winter. My location seldom gets below -2°C, and mostly stays above 0°C each winter. Most all the orchids I grow, except the Bletilla, would be damaged or killed much below these temperatures. Zygopetalums are another species that do well for me.

[gilles06]

Wow!
So many orchids to try!
Usually i have wet winter with some lights freeze. Archontophoenix grows well in the garden.
Wich ones are the easiest, cold and wet tolerant in winter and hot and dry tolerant in summer?

Thank you for your comment.

[Stevetoad]

Wow!
So many orchids to try!
Usually i have wet winter with some lights freeze. Archontophoenix grows well in the garden.
Wich ones are the easiest, cold and wet tolerant in winter and hot and dry tolerant in summer?

Thank you for your comment.

sounds like my climate. all mine do fine with the frosty nights and hot summer days. mounting them onto trees give them the protection from frost that they would need. my cymbidiums and epidendrums and grown on the ground and out in the open with no problems. epis are the easiest id say.

[bahia]

If you are growing the orchids in containers, and using a fast draining mix such as 1/3 fir bark, 1/3 perlite and 1/3 pumice or expanded shale, the worrying about winter rains isn't as much of an issue. You will need to irrigate regularly in the hot/dry months; none of the orchids I grow here are considered drought tolerant. If you can move containers out of the rain with some overhead protection and a slightly warmer aspect in winter, many of the warmer growing ones like the hybrid Epidendrons will grow better. I've had better success with some of the high elevation species Epidendrons than the hybrids in my cool summer climate, the hybrids seem to prefer warmer and dryer winters to bloom well. I think the Cymbidiums and Zygopetalums are extremely easy to grow, and certainly hardy terrestrial orchids such as Bletilla striata which can easily be grown in the ground are easier still. I've seen Cymbidiums successfully grown in the ground in sandy soils, similarly also hybrid Epidendrons._

[palmmermaid]

I have Epidendrum radicans in the ground. They've been through hurricanes, freezes, wet, dry and still look good. They bloom regularly. I know they are common but they are good performers. I also have Sobralias in the ground. Their bloom looks like a cattelya but only last a day. They've done very well for me - sun, shade, wet, dry, hot, cold, good soil, poor soil. I alos have several of the pendulous dendrobiums mounted on trees that bloom year after year. Cymbidiums don't do well for me - our hot summers are too much for them.