I am curious...

[Carkin]

Mayres thread about hoyas being perfect companion plants for orchids got me WONDERING...what other plants do you like to grow as companions to your orchids?
I was thinking of maybe getting a goldfish plant because they like high humdity too.
I thought Bromelaids would be a good companion plant. I have one that I can show you, it is a Zebra Bromelaid.

What do you have?

[Stitz]

Originally Posted by Carkin

Mayres thread about hoyas being perfect companion plants for orchids got me WONDERING...what other plants do you like to grow as companions to your orchids?
I was thinking of maybe getting a goldfish plant because they like high humdity too.
I thought Bromelaids would be a good companion plant. I have one that I can show you, it is a Zebra Bromelaid.

What do you have?

Carkin, I agree with you re: bromeliads. I currently grow 8 along with my orchids. In fact, bromeliads are the perfect companion plants to orchids in natural habitats as well as at home. I visited the "jungles" of Venezuela many years ago. I was awed by the bromeliads! Of course, there were orchids interspersed on the tree branches.

BTW, your bromeliad which you call "a Zebra Bromelaid" is a Vriesea. It is at least a hybrid splendens if it isn't the species. Without a positive ID, it's impossible to tell what you have by fotos.

My bromeliads include:
Aechmea orlandiana
Billbergia horrida tigrina
Billbergia zebrina
Vriesea fosteriana seideliana (from Alvim Seidel!)
Vriesea hieroglyphica (aka The King of Bromeliads)
Vriesea ospinae gruberi
Vriesea splendens
Vriesea Splendide

All of these plants are spectacular foliage broms. Billbergia zebrina and the Vriesea splendens and Splendide are also beautiful while in flower, an added bonus! I have flowered all of them except for the Aechmea, a recent addition. It better get with the program! I can find others which are more productive!

I highly recommend Michael's Bromeliads in Florida if you choose to order broms from within the USA. If you are adventurous, try Alvim Seidel in Brasil! Alvim was an explorer and taxonomist who logged many new species and varieties during his lifetime. While Alvim is no longer with us, his son Donato and grandson Donato Jr continue the over 100 y/o family tradition of selling broms, orchids and other plants.

--Stitz--

[orchidaddict789]

Epiphyllum oxypetalum, clivias, bromeliads, african violets...and I have NOID bromeliads, lol.

[Carkin]

Originally Posted by Stitz

Carkin, I agree with you re: bromeliads. I currently grow 8 along with my orchids. In fact, bromeliads are the perfect companion plants to orchids in natural habitats as well as at home. I visited the "jungles" of Venezuela many years ago. I was awed by the bromeliads! Of course, there were orchids interspersed on the tree branches.

BTW, your bromeliad which you call "a Zebra Bromelaid" is a Vriesea. It is at least a hybrid splendens if it isn't the species. Without a positive ID, it's impossible to tell what you have by fotos.

My bromeliads include:
Aechmea orlandiana
Billbergia horrida tigrina
Billbergia zebrina
Vriesea fosteriana seideliana (from Alvim Seidel!)
Vriesea hieroglyphica (aka The King of Bromeliads)
Vriesea ospinae gruberi
Vriesea splendens
Vriesea Splendide

All of these plants are spectacular foliage broms. Billbergia zebrina and the Vriesea splendens and Splendide are also beautiful while in flower, an added bonus! I have flowered all of them except for the Aechmea, a recent addition. It better get with the program! I can find others which are more productive!

I highly recommend Michael's Bromeliads in Florida if you choose to order broms from within the USA. If you are adventurous, try Alvim Seidel in Brasil! Alvim was an explorer and taxonomist who logged many new species and varieties during his lifetime. While Alvim is no longer with us, his son Donato and grandson Donato Jr continue the over 100 y/o family tradition of selling broms, orchids and other plants.

--Stitz--

Thank you Stitz! That was so informative. How do you grow your broms? What do you use for potting medium? Have you tried mounting any?

[retroresale]

I have lots of Hoyas and African Violets, and the usual houseplants (spider plants and such I have two really big Rhipsalis that I just love. I have been eyeing a really nice goldfish plant at the nursery a few blocks from my house.
[IMG][/IMG]
Rhipsalis

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]
fittonia

[IMG][/IMG]
Rhipsalis

[Puddy1]

My other plants are african violets (9) and a birds nest fern. I'm afraid of the broms, they get so big

[pikkumyy]

i have a hep of broms, but i only know the name of two....(and then i can only remember the name of one, which is the tilandsia ) i dont grow many in pots as i prefer to put them in the garden around my frog pond, ill take some photo's today of the ones that aren't surrounded by weeds, then ill take photo's of the others when ive weeded. i really like staghorn ferns as well, and of cours spanish moss, and any moss for that matter.

[retroresale]

I almost forgot, I do have a tilandsia, pink quill, but it is about at the end of it's cycle and throwing off some pups. It was pretty a few months ago. Lots of cute little purple flowers on the hot pink quills. A very interesting plant. I like those Zebra Broms and have almost bought one a few times, just don't know where I'd put it. They are so big.

[Stitz]

Originally Posted by Carkin

Thank you Stitz! That was so informative. How do you grow your broms? What do you use for potting medium? Have you tried mounting any?

You are welcome, Carkin. During warmer weather when the outdoor temps exceed 60°F (15°C), the Vriesea splendens and Vriesea Splendide are outdoors, somewhat protected from overhead sunlight. These seem to especially love hot weather! The others are outdoors whenever temps exceed 45F (7C). The others get very bright light to full sun, depending on the species.

I currently use potting media designed specifically for bromeliads from OFE International and also Tropiflora, both in Fla. I have also used routine, medium-grade cattleya mix. The broms root a little more slowly in the bark mix however, once they are rooted - they love it and they won't let go!

I was given a few mounted Tillandsias several years ago. They didn't last. I suspect that the reason was a lack of water through the hot summer months. Some mounted plants require more moisture than one misting or watering per day. I can't provide that consistently through hot spells.

--Stitz--

[jessicalee]

i grow varying Tillandsia, Drosera, Begonia, ferns, clivia, and a NOID bromeliad by the orchids
the rest of the house... has all kinds of vegetation.

[terra_australis]

Carnivourous plants go well with orchids and help keep the bugs away as a bonus!

[pikkumyy]

Originally Posted by terra_australis

Carnivourous plants go well with orchids and help keep the bugs away as a bonus!

i love carnivorous plant, or atleast think they are cool, i only have a sundew at the moment but i plan on getting some more including pitcher plants and some venus fly traps (my last venus fly trap didnt last very long because it was in the kitchen and i kept forgetting to refill the dish with water)

also back to broms, arent they closely related to orchids?

[Carkin]

Originally Posted by terra_australis

Carnivourous plants go well with orchids and help keep the bugs away as a bonus!

Very interesting idea. What kind do you have? My boys have been asking for a Venus Fly Trap plant, but I don't think that I am experienced enough to keep it alive in my house. Has anyone ever grown one of these indoors?

[dounoharm]

in the gh i have amazon lilies, some fern and a few large star begonias...during the winter months i have lots of other houseplants crowede into the spaces too....this is the amazon lily or eucharis grandifolia

[Carkin]

Thank you for all your imput. Thank you especially to Retroresale and Dounoharm for your pics, your plants are gorgeous!

[terra_australis]

Originally Posted by Carkin

Very interesting idea. What kind do you have? My boys have been asking for a Venus Fly Trap plant, but I don't think that I am experienced enough to keep it alive in my house. Has anyone ever grown one of these indoors?

Mine stay out in the shadehouse but I don't see why you couldn't grow them indoors. The majority are bog plants so like to sit in water. They also like bright light. At the moment I have 3 different types of Drosera (sundews), a few Sarracenia and Nepenthes (pitcher plants) and 2 Dionaea (fly traps).