dendrophylax lindenii

What is your relative humidity? Most Ancraecoids like warm (not too hot), humid, moist (moist as in they're not dry tolerant they're lose roots easily) conditions. What grow space will you keep them in?

 

plantman05... if you want to have an idea of what will grow in a Mediterranean climate... mine is, I think, fairly similar to yours (check the weather information for Costa Mesa, California, USA and compare to yours). I think, somewhat less rainfall, maybe a bit lower average summer temperature. I grow a very wide variety of species (and hybrids) in my back yard. To see what works for me, check my website orchidcentral.org, and look at the Index of Plants page where I note what I grow outside. An "easy orchid" is one that can be happy with conditions that match what you have. A "difficult orchid" is one for which you have to go to lots of trouble and expense to meet its needs. All of us will succumb to the temptation to try the more difficult ones as we get deeper into the hobby. But there is a really large number of them that you could grow fairly easily... the more you succeed, the braver you will be to try MORE types.

 

Again what is the humidity of your balcony? In your area i think it's probably too dry to keep Ancraecums outside but get a min/max hygrometer and get average humidity readings for at least a week and get an idea of your conditions.

 

I have quite a few Angraecoids outside and they grow and bloom reasonably well. My mid-day humidity is typically around 40-50%, sometimes much lower. But when it gets hot and dry, I do water or at least mist several times a day. An automated mist system is quite handy. The ones that live outside have to put up with rather cool winter night temperatures (like low 40's F, 5-6 deg C and occasionally lower for a few hours) But the central plateau of Madagascar is also pretty chilly in winter, so Angraecoids from that area are quite cold-tolerant.

 

Consider Aeranthes... Aeranthes ramosa and Aeranthes grandiflora can tolerate winter cold in our climates (I don't think summer heat is a problem with any of the Angraecoids... back to that misting system, or manual watering/misting when it gets hot in summer, do provide shade) Aeranthes bloom on a long, wire-like inflorescence, and each inflorescence can produce several flowers sequentially. Angraecum germinyanum and Angraecum arachnites will also handle outdoor conditions (good shading, good water applied to boost hydration when it is hot, cold-tolerance) and have flowers with a "spidery look". Another one (different group) to consider... Dendrobium papilio. Large flowers on a wiry inflorescence. Flowers are full and round (not spidery) but appear to float in space. Also temperature-tolerant.

A consideration that hasn't really come up but is very important is water quality. . Where I live, any rain that comes from the sky is a bonus, daily "rain" comes from a hose. I am sure that it is the same for you. And water quality ranges from "not too horrid" to "liquid rocks". For growing any of the mentioned plants, a reverse-osmosis system to improve the water is going to be needed for long-term survival. There are lots of orchids that grow fine with water that is fairly high in minerals. These don't.

 

Of the Angraecums, A. eburneum is probably the most forgiving of a range of temperatures - I have seen it growing both along the Madagascar coast (warm all year) and in highlands that can get chilly. A. sesquipedale is less cold-tolerant, being mostly coastal. Where I live it's marginal outside in winter. A. eburneum does better. (The "warm" side less critical, just protect from direct sun) I haven't grown comoroense so can't really comment but would expect that it is likely low elevation and therefore not cold-tolerant but would do fine with heat.

A. eburneum hybrids like Veitchii (sesquipedale x eburneum) or Crestwood (Veitchii x sesquipedale) give you the bigger flowers from sesquipedale and temperature-tolerance from eburneum. A. Crestwood in particular looks a lot like sesquipedale, but is much more forgiving.

 

How about Brassavola nodosa? It has white, night fragrant flowers and is, in my opinion, one of the easier and more forgiving orchids. I have seen them growing in situ in Tulum and the Playa del Carmen area in the Yucatán just 20 or so feet from the ocean. The scent at night from some of the larger specimen plants can be detected blocks away.

 

Of the choices listed, Angcm. eburneum will give you the best chance of success.

A further note... unless the plant that you get has been growing outside (so that it has experienced the cooling weather of fall), keep it inside for the winter. Then put it out in the spring, so that it has maximum time to acclimate - both to heat in summer and chill in fall. Orchids that tolerate a range of temperatures (as does A. eburneum) do it best when they are exposed to less-than-ideal conditions slowly. When I acquire orchids at fall shows that may not be adapted to my conditions but have the potential to do so, I pamper them through the winter, then put them outside once night temperatures get above 55 deg F/13 deg C or thereabouts.