New to mounting; Mopani wood and other material

[otis 226]

I have not yet taken the plunge and mounted any orchids, but I plan on doing a couple/three in the future as soon as small plant prospects are obtained. In the meantime, I've been thinking about what I'd like to mount them on. Has anyone ever tried using African Mopani wood? It is a beautiful looking dense hardwood, supposedly used in making higher end furniture. Its also used in the pet trade for reptile/bird enclosures or aquariums. I believe most of it not used in the lumber industry is actually from the burl or roots, which is unusable for other than decorative items

I've posted a pic of a piece I picked up this weekend at a flea mkt. Also, any experiences using the thick seed husk casings from Pindo palm trees. Looks like it would be pretty sturdy. Thanks.
Tony

[syndywindy]

I would think the mopani wood would work as there are many nooks and crannies for roots to get into. I personally would not use a smooth surfaced wood for the reason I just mentioned. the roots need to take hold of something. I would probably soak your piec eof wood to be sure nothing is hiding in it before mounting a plant.

[orchids4me]

Nice piece of wood!
Good luck with your project when you decide to mount.

[bumpman]

Beautiful piece! It'll be a great mount. On pieces like that with so many crevices I like to mount some tillandsias along with the orchid.

[-k-]

I agree... will make a good mount.... so mount em up!!! And don't forget the pics!!!

[Daethen]

Gorgeous piece of wood!!!! I have used the mopani wood and it does just fine. You are going to have a blast watching the roots investigate those crevises. I got my mopani at the pet store and soaked it for a while to leach out anything the orchids wouldn't like. Have fun!!

[Carkin]

Ooooo! I love your Mopani wood! I picked up a smaller piece from a pet store that is a really neat shape too but I haven't decided what orchid to put on it yet. What are you thinking of mounting? I can't wait to see what you do!

[Ray]

So how durable is mopani when exposed to water?

[Daethen]

Ray, I haven't had mine mounted for too long, but I soaked for several days and since then they get watered (soaked) almost daily and haven't even turned grayish. It is a very dense wood from the feel of it. I would hazard a guess and say it should do well.

[bumpman]

I've used mopani submerged in a tropical fish aquarium, and it will last for many years, so it should be no problem for orchids.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by bumpman

I've used mopani submerged in a tropical fish aquarium, and it will last for many years, so it should be no problem for orchids.

You're probably right, but being immersed, and being wet when exposed to the air are not the same thing.

Take a piece of leather and immerse it, and it will stay supple for years. let it dry out and....

[otis 226]

Well, its only been getting constantly sprayed and soaked for just over 6 months, but she's still hard as granite.
Tony

[BluPeaches]

I had two plants mounted on mopani wood and I just removed them. The wood had some sort of black looking mold growing around where the moss was. I tried cleaning it but of course it was stained by it.