Life is great on the Northern California coast, but it can be tough for plants. Strong winds and chilly fog can be big challenges for our garden. Fortunately, the vast and diverse orchid family provides lots of choices. Here are three tenacious orchids that are happily living just 1/3 mile (0.5 km) from the ocean. The first four photos show a large Coelogyne species, Coelogyne mooreana, which is native to high mountains in Vietnam. It’s bloomed well for years. I repotted it a few months ago, and assumed it wouldn’t flower this year. Surprisingly, it’s put out dozens of fragrant, snowy white blossoms with golden yellow flower lips.
The next four photos show a miniature orchid with a name that’s bigger than the plant itself, Epidendrum melanogastropodium. Native to high elevations in the Andes, its flowers hang down like tiny bunches of colorful grapes. Despite their fragile appearance, these blooms have lasted more than a month already, even enduring a recent heat wave.
The last four photos show Masdevallia coriacea. Unlike most Masdevallias, which prefer shade, this mini species likes some direct sun, so I keep it in an exposed location. It has a slight methane-like scent, but fortunately, it lives outdoors. Like the mini Epidendrum, it’s native to lofty elevations in the Andes. All three of these orchids use their high-altitude toughness to thrive on our cool, foggy coast.
