When I bought my hpouse the previous owner planted several clumps of Archontophoenix inside a fence in the front of the house as pictured below a couple of years after I bought the house (photo is summer of 2012)

.  There was an additional planting of a clump outside the frame of the photo, which would have resulted in about 14 total Archontophoenix in line (3-4 plants in each group, with groups spaced about 8' apart.  It was clear to me they needed thinning as the roots and crowns would all be competing for space.  I removed one group completely and periodically removed a trunk over the years.  My last removal I decided to leave up the trunk to a height of about 4 feet, and use part of it to hang some epiphytes on because there was an existing Brazilian Laelia species I had tied off to the trunk that I didn't want to remove.  With a total of 4 living trunks and the one stump, the crowns have space now to show there beauty without being overly crowded.  I was happy with my experiment leaving the trunk.... that is until I went out to water my orchids this morning.

From a distance it appeared that an animal had been scratching on the trunk, but as I approached I could clearly identify pink rot.  The outer layer of the trunk was literally bubbling up from the pink rot pushing out from just underneath the surface.  Now I have a project for the weekend which will be to carefully remove my Laelia which is tied to the trunk, find it a new home as well as the other epiphytes I have hanging off of it, before I remove the Archontophoenix trunk.  I'm not sure if I will use one of the other Archontophoenix trunks for the Laelia or try a new spot in the garden.  One of the adjacent living Archontophoenix already has a different Laelia species mounted on it's trunk so at least one will remain.  The pink put the stink on my experiment!

Beautiful Archie's! Are they cunninghamianas? I hope you figure out how to deal with the pink rot. I have no idea.

Ouch sorry to hear @Tracy!

I’ve had occasion to have too many trunks and stumps and some rot a lot faster than others.

Tough, densely fibrous types Like queens and Caryotas take far far longer to decay than spongy ones like Archontophoenix and Royals.

Live trunks will be better as long as they’re live.

Maybe put the epiphytes on chunks of dense wood and hang as you wish? That way you can put it on another support as needed with minimal trouble to the epiphyte.

Give us pictures of the flowers when they come!

 

On 7/11/2020 at 6:48 AM, DoomsDave said:

Live trunks will be better as long as they’re live.

Maybe put the epiphytes on chunks of dense wood and hang as you wish? That way you can put it on another support as needed with minimal trouble to the epiphyte.

I agree about live trunks versus mounting on chopped off trunks Dave.  Unfortunately the orchid was mounted when the palm's top was still lopped off, hence my dilemma, leave it or remount immediately.  I left it.  You can see how extensive the pink is in the sequence below including another Archie (living) with a different Laelia species growing on it.  As far as mounting epiphytes and specifically orchids on chunks of wood, my garden is quite literally bursting at the seems with those.  My challenge is finding places that will support the weight of my many "Orchids on a Stick" to borrow a term from a local Orchid nursery here in Leucadia (sorry Andy, but I'm not supposed to list business names of non-members) .  An example is the Encyclia adenaucala orchid in bloom below.

Last photo shows what remains of the Archontophoenix cunninghamiana trunk after my axe met up with it.  An orchid growing friend recommended that I create a solution with Physan (anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-algaecide and just anti anything juice) and dip the orchid in for a short soak after getting all the pink rot off the orchids roots.  I did that and then poured the 2 gallons of solution over the stump and pieces of it that I didn't get picked up and put into the trash.  I'm hoping that diminishes the spread of the horrid pink to anything living nearby it.  Next challenge is that my wife mentioned that I could remove one more Archie as the crowns of the northern 3 are still interlocked, and close to the Aloidendron Hercules and a Dypsis pembana clump which are outside the fence.  When she showed me which one she wants to remove, it is the other palm with the Laelia mounted on it in the first photo.  So if I remove it my dilemma will restart, leave the Laelia on the stump and wait for the pink to set in over the next couple of years or remove the Laelia now and transfer it to one of the "keeper" Archies.  She doesn't like all the soot and black mold that grow when the crowns get too tight.  I think it is especially bad on the coast where we have the daily return of marine layers at night most of Spring and Summer.

@Tracy thanks for sharing!

Well, I tried to help . . . .

I know from long experience that trunks vary all over.

I know you guys get and stay moist, but I didn't think you stayed that moist. I don't think I'd even try most epiphytes where I'm at, but, might be worth a second look . . .

Do you have any L. superbum? I recall those can take the dry reasonably well, and are spectacular. I recall that @Kim had one, or at least was looking for one.

1 hour ago, DoomsDave said:

Do you have any L. superbum? I recall those can take the dry reasonably well, and are spectacular. I recall that @Kim had one, or at least was looking for one.

I'm not sure if you are referring to Laelia superbiens akaGenus: :Schomburgkia (Laelia) Species: halbingeriana (superbiens)?  If so the answer is no.  Lots of Laelia species from Mexico as well as several Encyclia species.  Talk to your neighbor Gene up there in La Habra Heights as he acquired an entire collection of orchids last year from a friend.  "Epiphyte" who is a member of this forum has assisted Gene in mounting several orchids in trees with others in a small greenhouse.

Back to palms, in this climate it helps to keep them spaced for plenty of air flow.  Unlike other places with a humid climate, we are still in a desert with little summer rainfall to wash off the foliage.  I know there are systemics I can use to cut down on mold  and mildew issues, but I hate using things that hurt good insects like honey bees which also frequent my garden.

Plant roots can sense the water movement in the cambium layer of trees or the vascular bundles of palms. This stimulates growth, whereas a plant mounted on a dead stump does not have that luxury. This statement may not be written in stone in scientific journals but experience has taught me that it's true.

3 hours ago, Gonzer said:

Plant roots can sense the water movement in the cambium layer of trees or the vascular bundles of palms. This stimulates growth, whereas a plant mounted on a dead stump does not have that luxury. This statement may not be written in stone in scientific journals but experience has taught me that it's true.

So mounting on something live is better than on a dead stump or a stick.  My challenge is a lack of trees to mount things on.  Unfortunately I don't have a lot of palm species that have retained leaf bases that make good homes either.  I'm always amazed at literally small tree and shrub volunteers growing out of CIDP retained leaf bases.  For now, I have to settle for some dead sticks for most of my epiphytes which is why I struggle now with cutting down the other Archie with the Laelia mounted on it.  I need to get busy with mounting the one I took off the stump too.    

8 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Do you have any L. superbum?

Ooops.  I wasn't right.  Kind of like palms you sometimes forget what's in the garden.  This one hasn't flowered yet, but it should be getting close to flowering size after a few years now.  It's stick mounted so I don't have to worry about killing the palm tree it is on.

6 hours ago, Gonzer said:

Plant roots can sense the water movement in the cambium layer of trees or the vascular bundles of palms. This stimulates growth, whereas a plant mounted on a dead stump does not have that luxury. This statement may not be written in stone in scientific journals but experience has taught me that it's true.

This is a very interesting subject.. and your thoughts make perfect sense.. That said, It seems a preference for growing on "live" or dead wood might come down to either the Genus or particular species within said Genus.. I know Cyrtopodium punctatum, the Cow Horn / Cigar Orchid from Florida, is said to grow on old stumps. Most famous picture on the net is of a large specimen growing on one in the Fakahatchee.. In Sonora, these grow abong Oaks, various grasses, the Sonoran variety of Dioon edule, and various Bromeliads on north facing rock ledges of canyon walls.

While i can't find the exact article i'd read, while doing renewed research of Catasetum-type Orchids back in December, there was mention regarding several  which prefer growing on decaying Palm trunks/ Decaying portions of other "Host" Trees.. rather than on the live bark of them.  There is also a brief mention of observed members in that family's preference for decaying wood on page 7 of " The Orchid Review ",  published in 1906.

I personally have had mixed results growing things on stuff like Cork Bark slabs or other "dead wood" Cork worked ok overall, but a Brassivola nodosa i attached to Grape Wood grew vigorously. Tillandsia ( forget what species ) i'd  attached grew well on it also.  Stuck a small Dendrobium aggregatum on a knobby slab of CA. Bay Laurel ( Umbelluaria californica ) I collected and cut to size and it took off, tripling in size, and flowering in less than 3 years. That said, some Laelia i'd attached to Cork cylinders did ok.. but didn't seem as happy as other specimens i have seen growing on living trees..  Then again, i have also seen big, stunning specimens grown in pots/ baskets.. 


 

On 7/13/2020 at 10:03 AM, DoomsDave said:

Do you have any L. superbum? I recall those can take the dry reasonably well, and are spectacular. I recall that @Kim had one, or at least was looking for one.

I added another Laelia superbien aka Schomburgkia halbingeriana to the Archontophoenix cunninghamiana adjacent to the one I had cut down.  I acquired it as a split cutting and have been patiently waiting for it to root on the palm trunk.  I just noticed a new growth point emerging, so I think I will have success.  I just hope it doesn't take several years to get to flowering size, as my other stick mounted still hasn't flowered in the many years I have had it.  It's also got two new growth points emerging so hopefully this will be the year as both growth and roots look very healthy on the stick mounted one.

Tracy, I’ve tried mounting orchids on any vertical trunk, living or dead and have found the dead ones aren’t very long lasting and not worth the effort. 

Since I really don’t invest time with potted orchids and with a garden full of mostly palms, I mount them on selected spots whenever I divide or are given an orchid. Of course, growing anything on a trunk here in Hilo is a different animal than So. Cal. I used to use twine, cotton string, nylon hose material, that E600 adhesive, but now just use those black plastic cable ties. I’d rather not use plastic, but they are far superior to anything I’ve tried, and last forever. Plus you can tightly secure the plant, which is critical.

Within a few months the moss totally obscures the tie along with the roots of the attached orchid. I also tried to include a gob of spaghnum moss to the roots, but found it unnecessary, as again, the moss covers just about everything. I do fertilize when I think about it which is every 90 days or so. Just load some orchid food in a sprayer and give them a good soaking. They thrive and bloom like crazy. 

I like the orchids for the bloom and color, but It’s obvious to me at this point that I have no interest in serious orchid collecting. Kinda like deciduous trees, I like them but, couldn’t give you a name if I tried. 

Here are a few photos.

Tim

On 5/10/2021 at 2:42 PM, realarch said:

I’ve tried mounting orchids on any vertical trunk, living or dead and have found the dead ones aren’t very long lasting and not worth the effort. 

Since I really don’t invest time with potted orchids and with a garden full of mostly palms, I mount them on selected spots whenever I divide or are given an orchid. Of course, growing anything on a trunk here in Hilo is a different animal than So. Cal. I used to use twine, cotton string, nylon hose material, that E600 adhesive, but now just use those black plastic cable ties. I’d rather not use plastic, but they are far superior to anything I’ve tried, and last forever. Plus you can tightly secure the plant, which is critical.

Within a few months the moss totally obscures the tie along with the roots of the attached orchid. I also tried to include a gob of spaghnum moss to the roots, but found it unnecessary, as again, the moss covers just about everything. I do fertilize when I think about it which is every 90 days or so. Just load some orchid food in a sprayer and give them a good soaking. They thrive and bloom like crazy. 

Spectacular "accessorizing" of your palm trunks Tim.  For most orchids here, we are just too dry to get by without the spaghnum moss when mounting.  Your climate is what most of these orchids really crave.  I imagine that your natural growing moss also helps hold the roots in place.  In my experience, sometimes the plants here can get too heavy for the roots alone to hold them onto palms, so the fishing line or other artificial attachment is needed in the long run as well as the short run to get them established.  Thank you for sharing the examples and your experience!