A Decade Growing Orchids in Pacifica
Over ten years ago, Dave and I moved from San Francisco to nearby Pacifica. A decade later, I’ve learned about a lot about growing orchids so close to the ocean. Even though we’re only 10 miles (16 km) from our former home, it’s a very different microclimate. Now at 1/3 mile (0.5 km) from the chilly Northern Pacific, summers are cooler, fog is heavier, and winds are definitely stronger. Despite the challenges, most of our orchids have thrived in their new home.
We have a few dozen orchids, some indoors and some outdoors. The outdoor plants are exposed to the elements, even in protected areas next to the house. Surprisingly, salty air is not a problem, despite occasional deposits which blow in when waves are big. The salt gets rinsed off by the fog and by my watering, so the plants tolerate it.
The orchids shown here demonstrate the differences that I have noticed. To start, my beloved Masdevallia chaparensis still blooms regularly, but no longer dazzles with dozens of flowers at once. Instead, it only puts out a few blossoms at a time. It used to look like the first two photos in the first row above. I believe it’s not as happy with the cooler temps and stronger winds.
Those winds have also shortened flower spikes and plants. Interestingly, there are just as many tiny yellow flowers on Scaphosepalum verrucosum, but they are much closer together on shorter spikes. Cymbidiums still bloom very well, but their spikes are shorter, so they don’t stand tall over the foliage. Elleanthus amethystinus shrank over time. In its second year, its new growth was only 2/3 the height of the original plant. Fortunately, it’s remained a vigorous grower and bloomer, undeterred by its diminished stature. It’s reliably covered with clusters of small purple flowers every year.
The last row of photos shows a plant that couldn’t handle the move. My Oncidium macranthum, also known as Cyrtochilum macranthum, couldn’t tolerate the extra wind. In San Francisco, its flower spikes were long, twisting vines which wrapped around the other plants on the deck. They boasted lots of marvelous, sunny 4 inch (10 cm) blossoms. During its first year in Pacifica, I knew it was unhappy when it put out a feeble spike with a couple misshaped flowers. By the second year, it was gone.
Notwithstanding the challenges, Pacifica is a wonderful home, a charming beach town with lots of green spaces and incredible whale-watching. There’s always more to learn when it comes to orchids, and I’m always trying to better understand their cultivation needs. Meanwhile, I’m amazed at the varieties which thrive in our seaside garden.
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