This Dendrochilum from the Philippines at around 1000 metres only grows about 10 cm high, making it one for those who really love miniatures. The tiny 5mm flowers are creamy yellow to green.

Negatives: All very small pots are more difficult to manage than larger pots because they can dry out much more quickly. They really need to be kept together with other small plants so that they don't get both light and water blocked by bigger plants with their bigger leaves. Unless care is taken, the water run-off from a large nearby leaf can cause waterlogging and a very sick plant will result in only days. Alternately, an over-hanging large leaf can cause a rain shadow and desiccation.

A problem in growing plants requiring high humidity is that these conditions are also perfect for many fungi, diseases, pests, etc. Many of these problems can be overcome by providing high ventilation. The downside of this strategy, however, is that the more ventilation you have the more difficult it is to keep the humidity high without incurring extra expense.

Rating: ♦♦♦

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