How about some of the cold sensitive platycerium, such as coronarium - it could grow on the tree or on a piece of wood hanging against a wall. Also agapetes is an epiphyte - nice flowers and a couple of hybrids available - available from Bovees.
Best of all some vireyas - White Cloud Nursery in Hawaii sells rooted cuttings for $5 -they are epiphytes but can take temperatures down into the upper 30's but I suppose they would not mind your 50 degrees - I have read about them growing on cork bark ephiphytically, but I think you need to experiment bearing in mind that they don't like wet feet nor do they like to dry out - remember to buy the low-land hybrids.

My experience with medinilla is that they will die if they get too wet or too dry, so I think you need to experiment with them - perhaps some sphagnum moss if you kept it damp would work -I have a lot off very small(1-2inches) seedlings of myrianthes if you would like some to experiment with. I don't know how to tell the difference between magnifica and myrianthes when not blooming, but I have found that they can take much lower than your 50 degrees.

When you figure out how to grow things epiphetically I would love to hear which methods work best. If you have room in the ground, in your sunniest spot what about a red sealing wax palm or in the shade some joey palms.

I haven`t had the guts to grow my medinilla myriantha in anything but a pot. So I can`t help you there.

I do envy you having a controlled growing house. If I had one I would try the sealing wax palm and the Jade vine again. I would also put my red Mussaenda, Aphelandra sinclariana, and Alpina rugosa in it.

The suggestions of the tropical rhododendrum is great.....I plan on getting more of them in the spring.

I also love bromeliads and tillandsias...... so I would go nuts with them.

I have a question for you. Is the paradise tree you have the native ? I have been thinking about getting this
one . How do you like it ?

You could try epiphyllums (orchid cactus) some can grow up trees and some can be mounted in the crotch of branches with extra moss wrapped around to hang down. They are my newest obsession that I am starting. I am up to 38 diff cuttings now lol. Mine are all starting in pots but once I get them established I am going to experiment with them by growing them on trees etc. The epiforums.com has lots of good info.

I have a medinilla magnifica but it is really large and has a deep root system. I keep it potted in phalanopsis orchid bark mixed with potting soil and extra perlite. It has bloomed nonstop all spring and summer and still is. It makes pink ariel roots from the stem joints. I'm thinking that it must attatch/anchor itself down with them to hold up its wieght the way they 'naturally, grow.
They do grow as epiphytes in nature. I would love to see that, but can't find any photos of them growing naturally. They get pretty large.

Hi
Well should have listed the space constrictions first lol The whole grow area is only 12x25 feet with a 9 foot ceiling lol The paradise tree is grown in a buried 25 gallon pot in standing water lol . So is only 15 feet high max. With root pruning and the water I've been able to keep it this size for almost 3 years now . Pruning will only need to done to the limbs growing through the roof. It works as an EPI tree as it can handle any abuse. Have tried several species with bad results mainly they grow through the roof ,some could not handle the weight of the epis. and vines strangled a couple to death.lol I think if I were to do this project over I'd build my own tree from PVC pipe and concentrate on the epis. I am going to try this technique for a hanging lianna. As soon as I figure out what size pipe to start with flexible or rigid and what to do with it in case of hurricane lol.
Anyway back to the suggestions. Most will get WAY too large for the area. I'm alloting no more than 6 feet wide
The Medinilla will be in the main forks of the trunks but the tree is standing against the house wall so backside will be dark to start with.
Thought this to be the main epi while keeping the others under two feet in diameter, Maybe some of those fantastic twig orchids for the limits and of course an epi vine or two.
A New Guinea shingle plant for the main trunk if I can find the red type. There's a couple of epi cycads and palms if I can control them.lol Want to leave a lot of room for epi mosses and ant ferns. for the central trunk.
The backside will be tough due to the lack of light. But there are soooo many kinds of orchids and broms I'm sure I'll find something.
I can tell you some things NOT to grow on it lol Nephritis,philos,polypodium as well as boston ferns . These have eaten every square inch in the present setup. And I thought they looked so pretty when they first sprouted lol
Have tried Vireya a couple of times and killed them. Tried seed also , got great germination but slowly died out lol There are so many cool growing epiphytes and I think I should avoid them for sure.
Another family might be some of the very temp sensitive
gesneriads. ???
I have a Joe palm and a licuala obicularis in there now .
What do I do if they actually grow ?? Neither is ever going to be a yard plant lol
If anyone is interested a Lady from Thailand posted pix
of Joe palms both cultured and in habitat in the palms Forums under Joe palms. WOW I'm moving tomorrow lol Thanks for the help!!! gary

Gary, there are some really cool rhipsalis species that you can try. Also some hoyas.

As far as orchids, I have a Brassavola nodosa that does well in a tree.

There is a real small bromeliad that would work although the name escapes me. Email me if you want the name.

A trip down to Fairchilds might be in order. They have tons of epis in the hot house down there.

Hi
Since I'm sure I'll have no luck finding a magnifica that is epi. cultured I'm thinking of using a formed tree fern fiber pot set in the crotch of the tree. Obviously I could use other media in the hole and allow it to adapt over time depending on how well it does.
Of couse this would setup fern heaven and boy are they tough to remove from tree fern lol. Maybe better to use a shallow solid sided pot ?? Could always cover that with cork ,expanding foam or removeable TF slabs for minor planting.
Trini
One of the major problems with this sort of thing is there is just sooooo much choice lol
types . There is an unbelieveable array of epis that are NOT
orchids ,cactus ,broms but you almost never find them.
I'm getting old and wanted to try some of the more "oddball" types . Since I think I'll have a much better setup now, wanted to try some of those before my appointment with the grim reaper lol Thanks for the suggestions!!! gary