Dracula orchids with highland nepenthes?

[mAdmAx]

Hi there,

is it possible to put Dracula orchid in an highland nepenthes terrarium? Both need a cool night, but what about humidity and light?

Cheers,
Max

 

[herenorthere]

I think it's a great idea, but start with the orchids beneath or among the Nep foliage. That much light might be too much otherwise. If I had one of those modified chest freezer highland chambers, it would be stuffed with Dracs and Masdies. Oh yes, plus highland Neps.

 

[mAdmAx]

So you think I'd start with Paphiopedilum. I already have the Paphiopedilum x 'Iantha Stage', x 'Marcel Lecoufle' and x 'Prince Edward of York' in my lowland terrarium. They are too young to flower but they grow permanently.
The Dracula orchids need a daytime temp of ca. 24-26° and night temp of 15°, right, so that would be nice in an highland terrarium.
Where can I get some Dracula orchids (in europe)?

Cheers,
Max

 

[Rob-Rah]

I don't suggest growing dracs with highland nepenthes. Draculas like really shaded conditions, whereas most highland neps like bright light. Even masdevallias like it shadier than neps, and dracs are generally less light-tolerant than them.

Dracs also tend to need more humidity than neps. Neps can be happy with 40-60%, but dracs would prefer 80-90% and appreciate it more cloud-like.

Sorry to disappoint. I am setting up a dedicated tank for a few dracs and masdevallias soon, with an aultrsonic fogger and fan inside it. Normal cool household temps ought to be fine for it, becuase as far as I know dracs don't actually require nighttime/daytime temperature differentials in the same way as highland neps. As long as the temps are generally somewhere between 12C and 25C then that ought to do (although a mean of 16C is sometimes recommended).

 

[stone jaguar]

Hi.

I grow my Dracs (8 spp) in wooden baskets outside here in Guatemala, immediately alongside several Nepenthes and Telipogon spp. All three genera have lots of species that are more or less tolerant of different light and temp regimens. I generate very high flower numbers and viable seed pods every year from my D. vampira colonies, which take quite a bit of direct morning light and have several highland Nep spp. suspended in pots right above and in front of them. The Neps pitcher well and include some reasonably "touchy" spp.

If you have the proper conditions for so-called "ultra-highlanders", most Dracs are not particularly challenging (but some are!). I find them much more sensitive to low atmospheric humidity in our dry season than to increased light intensity. Anything but good quality water will smoke both.

Poor ventilation will probably be your limiting factor. If you have stagnant, perhumid conditions in your terrarium, I agree with RR that you'll be wasting time & money.

Cheerio,

SJ

 

[Trent]

Stone Jag is right about the air circ. In an enclosed grow chamber its very important to have a turn over of air. Dracs and Masdevallias will succumb to rots and fungal attacks insuch a closed environment if the air is not turned over-fresh, clean air entering, spore laden bad air exiting.

Trent