Huntington Beach Orchids is located in Huntington Beach (Orange County), California, approximately 1 1/2 miles from the ocean. Mild temperatures make for an ideal climate to grow orchids both outside and in our greenhouse. While coastal Orange County is usually noted for the lack of freezing temperatures experienced during the winter, we are situated in a valley between two mesas. Cold air can accumulate during the winter nights in this valley and near freezing temperatures resulting in frost does occur 7-14 days each year.
We have many different varieties of this species and many hybrids that utilize it as one of the parents. Some of the unique qualities of this species include cold tolerance and a tall flower spike. These attributes also are transferred to L. anceps hybrids. All of ours (species and hybrids) are grown outside throughout the year. However, if your winter conditions do not allow for outdoor cultivation, they grow quite well in a greenhouse as well.
The reedstem Epidendrums are a diverse group of orchids, but are generally relatively easy to maintain and grow well. The Epidendrum elongatum and Epidendrum ibaguense color forms have also commonly been referred to as “Reedstem Epidendrum”, E. radicans, or E.secundum. However, it appears that E. elongatum is the correct name for the majority of these varieties where the flowers grow with the lip at the top end of the vertical column as compared to E. ibaguense where the lip is at the lower end. For further information on these species, see the Nov. 1977, May 1979, and August 1989 AOS Bulletins for related articles. Recently, we have replaced most of the species with the "Pacific line of Japanese hybrids that are known for their more compact growth and larger flowers.
Whatever the taxonomic status is for these plants, they offer many attributes found in few other species. They are extremely easy to grow in a wide range of conditions and temperatures. We grow ours outside in full sunlight and where temperatures can vary from the 30’s at night in the winter to over 100 degrees during the day in the summer. Mature plants are virtually always in bloom with up to 40 flowers on on a inflorescence at one time.
These tropical plants have spectular flowers and, in the case of many of the plumerias, are very fragrant. These plants can be grown outside all year in areas where temperatures are above freezing in the winter and days of frost are minimal.