Mounting doesn't work well indoors (imo), because you can't freely water it with a hose daily as you would in a greenhouse...but if you want to take it down and soak it every day or two, more power to you.

Try an oncidium or one of the easier types of dendrobium, if you want my opinion. You didn't tell us your experience level (can you repot things, divide, etc?) as well as temperature ranges...and maybe where you are.

Btw, I really like the first phals patterning.

Thanks dbarron for your help. My experience level is fairly low, I have repoted my two orchids twice with great success but have never tried to divide anything. I live in Iowa so harsh winters prohibit me from growing outdoors year round.

I'm glad you like the white and magenta phal, it is the first one I ever purchased. The dog gone thing just blooms like crazy. It's in a 8" pot now with a peat based soil made for orchids so I only water it about every 2 weeks and I only fertilize it about once or twice a year. All that "abuse" and it still keeps on going like the eveready bunny of orchids.

Bill, you haven't exhausted the phalaenopsis possibilities of colour and patterns. Maybe try one of the species. There is a pic. of Phalaenopsis equestris in the link that is worth a try.

Phals. in photo gallery

From one Bill to another......☺ Anyone who can grow and bloom a pair of Phals. for five years can certainly handle an Cattleya. They'll take a bit more light, and prefer night time lows down around 55 degrees, but for the most part will grow alongside your Phals. quite nicely.

There are cloned hybrids out there that will bloom multiple times a year (crosses between spring bloomers and fall bloomers) so even though the blooms don't last quite as long as Phals. you get them twice a year. Cattleya bloom size and colors vary greatly, and lots of them have delightful fragrances.

You may have to order from one of the established nurseries that are on line and do mail order sales to get crosses that are blooming size and bloom various times of the year. the "big box" plants are clones, and may fit the bill, but you have no way to tell, since most of these plants don't come with identifying name tags.

There's a whole "nother" world out there when you get away from the current fad of Phals., and its lots of fun to play around in.

Have fun.

Bill

How about a brassavola. Also known as lady of the night. Because at night they have a sweet spicy smell. They do well potted or mounted. I'd recommend brassavola 'little stars'.

How about the reverse action...go window shop and tell us what you like. We'll advise on how much trouble to grow. WARNING! The most beautiful usually make you pay for them (in many ways)

Well, I came to the right spot for advice, all of you have been great and have contributed to my list of possibilities and my knowledge of orchid husbandry. So, below is a short list of species I find most interesting. The long list is just that, long... so I won't bother with it.

Phal schilleriana:

Wow, what a phalaenopsis. I have a place in the kitchen next to a large sliding glass door that faces North. I know of some pots that hang on the wall and I could let the spikes drape over the edge of the pot and hang down.

Bulbophyllum macranthum:

On this on I just love the exotic shape and color of the flower, its awesome. This could set in the South facing window of my home office but I would have to move one of my existing Phals somewhere else in that room.

Burrage nelly isler:

This is one that I love for the bright red color and interesting shape. It to would go in my office at the window I think.

Coryanthes macrantha:

Exotic shape is the key here, the color is not to bright, but exotic works for me when it comes to orchids and women ;}

Brassavola nodosa:

Its the fragrance that captures my interest in this one. Sweet spicy and only at night? what?

Well, there you have the short list. I can't, in all fairness to the many orchids I love say its the the top 5. But at least it describes what I like and why.

Cheers

Willy

I'm in Colorado, sort of cold like where you are. I've had GREAT success with Dendrobium Kingianum. It produces little flowers that are highly scented! A "no fuss" orchid.

Then I have to comment that I had a kingianum for six years, and it grew beautifully in a nearly full sun position, but never flowered. I probably didn't give it a dry enough winter rest.

Thanks Nicole, and dbarron, I appreciate you taking an interest in my post. It makes it a small world does it not?

I will put a Kingianum on my list and give it some thought. Whatever I wind up with needs to be a low light loving plant as my only choice for a window is facing South and has a 90 foot sugar maple tree outside it.

At the moment I am leaning toward a Coryanthes macrantha which is both fragrant and exotic looking (although some say the side profile of the bloom is a bit phallic in appearance).

They are OK with low light situations, but will probably want to be kept more moist than my phals.

Bill, you're a brave man....Link of Interest (perhaps)

I know you like tropical orchids, but orchid cactus/epiphyllum is a LOT easier and VERY exotic looking. :0) Very scented.....the blossoms are HUGE! Just a thought....

Forget about Den. kingianum. It is a high light orchid. There are many down the shade-house where it is about 8C. My Phals are in this room where it is 19C (early morning temps).

Re. never flowering Kinganum comment above. It needs a cooler drier winter (with sunlight) but not bone dry. AND heavy rain can fall at any time of year so I think Drier, with a temperature drop and no fertilizer is the go.

Nicole, that is indeed an exotic looking bloom ^^, is it by chance epiphyllum Ric Rac? I have been searching for one to possibly buy (wow they are cheap) but none that I looked at resembled the bloom in your photo. One, epiphyllum Ric Rac came close, but the image was not real great and I could not tell if they were the same or not.

Hee Arthur, I can't comment about flowering...just not-flowering :) Your recipe is correct from what I read. I tried, but apparently I was a bit too generous still with water or my "cold" wasn't enough...though I was down to about once a month in winter and full sun (mini-greenhouse window) and quite cold (as cold as could be supplied in a house environment in my state).

I've paid as little as .99cents for phals....this one was $1.99...

Bill....yes, it's ric rac.

I grow Phals next to the Kinganium which is why I recommened it. If you can grow phals, then you can grow the King. And anyone can grow epi's....

I've tried a LOT of orchids and none are still around except those 2 varieties....which are thriving!

Dendrobium Kinganium

I purchased this Phal 4 years ago. It puts up 5-6 stems of blooms every 6 months....my heaviest rebloomer. I paid $10 for it. BTW the King was a trade, a box of German iris for several varieties of orchids.....the others are long gone....that was 10 years ago.

Note: We have a local Orchid store....Island Orchids,here in Colorado. They sell out of bloom orchids for $5. :0)

My recipe for Den. kingianum is the weather here in the "sub tropics". The bone dry stuff in late autumn/winter is just not right. The weather can either come across a very dry continent or come from a nice warm Pacific Ocean.

All this proves (growing kingianum next to a Phalaenopsis) and flowering both is that nothing is impossible in the orchid growing world.

What we are after is which orchids will thrive and flower in the same conditions as a Phalaenopsis Hybrid.