Growing mounted miniature orchids in the home is a rewarding and unusual way to add a pop of green to your space. The orchid family (Orchidaceae) is the largest and most diverse plant family in the world. While some orchids are challenging to cultivate, many of these plants make reliable and easy-going houseplants.
When selecting mounted orchid species for the home, it’s important to make sure the orchid’s requirements can be met. Some species are sensitive to high or low temperatures, humidity levels, and watering schedules. Instead of trying to adapt your home to fit a specific orchid’s needs, we think it’s a good idea to find orchids that are tolerant of your lifestyle.
For instance, If you live in an area with summer heat spikes and don’t use air conditioning, a cool-growing species is probably not a good fit. Or if you live in a dry climate and don’t already use a humidifier, it would be best to avoid species that need high humidity to thrive.
It is also important to take note of a species’ moisture needs and their drainage preferences. Some epiphytic orchids like Vandas like frequent water but need their roots to dry out completely (and rather quickly) after each watering. When mounting plants that want their roots to dry quickly after each watering, we recommend mounting them onto a thin layer of sphagnum moss with their roots fully exposed. For plants that can tolerate a slower drying time, you can use a chunky soil blend and cover the roots in moss for your mount (like our staghorn fern mounts).
If there are miniature orchids with specific requirements you really want to grow, try making a terrarium that can maintain the orchid's specific needs.
Here are some mini orchids we’ve had success growing in the home:
Dendrobium bellatulum
Dendrobium bellatulum is a miniature orchid from SE Asia with grayish, glaucous leaves and surprising, beautiful blooms. The thick, stubby canes are full of water, making it tolerant of a little neglect. In winter, it actually prefers less frequent water while it waits for the sunnier days of spring. This plant's flowers have pale white petals with a bright orange center, giving it the name Enchanting Dendrobium.
Dendrobium hekouense
Dendrobium hekouense is often called a micro-miniature as its leaves and pseudobulbs are very small for the genus. The pale flowers have a dark throat that makes the flower look like a solar eclipse or a black hole. In the wild, the plants grow on the bottoms of tree branches so the roots stay moist but the flowers are protected from rain. This also means that lower light levels are fine for this charming miniature!
Dockrillia linguiforme
Dockrillia linguiforme (formerly Dendrobium linguiforme) is often called "Tongue Orchid," referring to the thick, oblong leaves that grow flat against trees. The plant's leaves are very thick and store a lot of water, so it can handle short periods of drought. However, if the plant is left too dry while growing a new leaf or flower bud, it will drop the new growth to conserve energy.
Haraella odorata
Haraella odorata (retrocalla) is a true miniature orchid from Taiwan, growing no larger than a few inches across. This reliable bloomer has yellow-and-red flowers that are quite large compared to the tiny, strap leaves. The flowers release a strong sweet fragrance, which is why it has the species name odorata.
Mediocalcar decoratum
Mediocalcar decoratum is a mat-forming miniature orchid that looks more like a jungle cactus than an orchid. Its thick pseudobulbs and creeping rhizomes are adorable, but the candy-corn-colored blooms are stunning. The flowers look like bright balloons that punctuate the spreading orchid.
Other small and miniature orchids we love to mount:
- Acianthera prolifera
- Aerangis fastuosa
- Angraecum didieri
- Dendrochilum propinquum
- Leptotes bicolor
- Neofinetia falcata
- Oncidium 'Tsiku Marguerite'
- Phalaenopsis 'Mini Mark'
- Phalaenopsis pulcherrima
- Sedirea japonica