Orchids: can i grow Dendrobium Kingiatum outside in zone 9?, 1 by tropicbreeze

tropicbreeze wrote:
Dendrobium is such a vast genus the conditions they grow under varies considerably. D. kingianum grows in the forests and often sits (naturally) in a heavier organic soil mix. There's a lot of different D. speciosum but most of them are lithophytes, although they will grow on trees. A mix for kingianum would probably kill them. Most speciosum grow on sandstone in places where they catch a lot of leaf drop. Their environment would be quite acidic but super well drained.

Another dendrobium I found a lot of when trekking recently grew in some amazing places. Dendrobium discolor, likes to grow in sand on beaches barely above high tide level and will often run up into nearby trees. I've seen them growing in coral rubble washed up at the back of beaches and on exposed cliff faces and boulders along the shoreline. They're exposed to salt spray and blazing sun and seem to love it.