There are two pretty standard mounts.....Treefern slabs and totems, and cork. There are very few orchids that will not attach to these. and to be honest, the cork is a variety of oak.

Other than that, I have seen orchids attached to some pretty unusual things. It simply depends on the likes of the orchid, and they seem to be very reluctant to tell what they like and don't like until they are mounted. I would suggest trying the plant on any type of bark slab or limb you have and see if the plant will like it. Tie a handful of sphagnum onto the mount and place the orchid on that and tie it securely to the mount. When the new roots start to grow, if they grow thrugh the moss and refuse to attach to the bark, well, you have probably found something that orchid would just as soon not be associated with. Try something else.

Bill

If it is white oak I would not use it. It suck up water then mildews. maple is a closed grain wood I think it will work. I have not tried it. Seasoned wood I think will be better than green wood. If the bark is on it I think the plant will like that better. But I never have done it so it is just speculation.

All the wood was cut about a year ago and has been hanging out in our yard, shed or garage since then. Once it stops raining, I'll grab some samples to see what might work best.

Hi Suzabanana ; -)

For Maxillaria tenuifolia, I think a mount might be too dry. I had some divisions of it mounted for years and they never bloomed. However, potted or basketed ones do bloom. I think they like to be a bit moister than a mount allows even with lots of watering.

As for wood mounts - I've used all kinds of wood with good results: sugar maple, mountain laurel ( found already cut on power line trails, not green cut), oak, wild plum wood, unknown aged wood found on hikes. Not suitable: grape vines - look pretty but tend to rot out too fast or are too dry, softwoods like pine, also rot too quickly.

Some orchids if mounted even on an acceptable wood don't "take." Or some that do lousy in a pot will perk up within weeks of being mounted. They know what they like, your job is too discover their preference! Go figure.

Good luck!

Maryanne from Western Mass.

Hi

Have had the same experience with tenufolia . Though the mounted ones do flower, about half that of baskets using crushed lava rock . have been trying for a couple of years to get it to attach to a living Cassia roxburghii has grown considerably but only in the basket I grow almost everything mounted mostly on living material except for cork slab where i grow Phals

Have been experimenting with using palm fronds but seems to work better with epiphyllums and ferns Most of the woods I have available rot in a heartbeat lol Goodluck gary