Good things come in small packages (or pots)
By Suzy Massey
I have about 80 orchids. No I don’t have a greenhouse (I wish!), I have a bunch of windows and two former fish tanks that serve as orchidariums. Most of my plants are small; some of them are tiny.
The mounted orchids are hanging from a tension curtain rod. See the orchid hanging in the upper right corner? It is Toulmnia Red Berry. Here it is in bloom:
One of my favorites is Chroniochilus virescens. It is mounted on a tiny piece of wood, about 3/4 inch wide. Its flower only lasts for a day, but its scent lets you know it is in bloom. It smells like a Twinkie covered in sugar icing. My nickname for it is The Cupcake.
My orchid with the smallest flowers is Polystachya stenostachya ‘Panning for Gold’. A long name for a teeny plant. This photo is the best one I manage to take with my phone’s camera.
If you would like to have a variety of different kinds of orchids, but don’t have the room, consider the little ones!
Suzy Massey has been a member of the Maine Orchid Society since 2006.
If you have questions about growing orchids, you are always welcome to attend a meeting and take advantage of our members’ knowledge and experience.;