>>The following note is what I send out to people that ask about the
construction of Fairchild Garden's epiphyte display. I have purchased my
cork bundles from: OFE International, Inc., 305-253-7080; 12100 S.W. 129th
Court, Miami, Florida 33186-6421
Epiphyte tree construction
A pipe frame is assembled from 4, 6, and 8 inch PVC irrigation pipe and
fittings then covered by a skin of cork bark.
At the base of the tree is a concrete anchor with an embedded lag bolt. The
tree base is bolted to this foundation and all the 1/4" stainless cable is
clamped around the heavy bolt and threaded through the pipe and tied to the
overhead beams. The stainless steel cable is actually the support structure,
as the PVC is not strong enough to support itself.
The PVC pipe frame isn't glued but is screwed together using galvanized
screws. I do it this way so that I can rotate the fittings or change the
whole structure if the shape turns out to be unconvincing as a tree.
The cork bark covering is screwed on with galvanized deck screws, reinforced
with steel washers under the screw heads. 'Liquid Nails' construction
adhesive is spotted around the pipe to strengthen the corks bond to the
frame. The washers spread the pressure on the cork to a wider area so that
the screw will not go all the way through the soft cork. If the screws are
noticeably visible after construction and planting, a dab of liquid nails
and a cork chip covers the exposed metal, or even brown marker.
In my original structure, great attention was put to lining up furrows in
the cork to help the believability of the branches, but that proved to be a
waste of time after the plants were added.
After the large cork sections are attached, cut cork pieces are used to fill
gaps between large slabs. Small gaps can be filled with cork chips, Osmumda
fern fiber, or bits of moss. If a constructed tree is going to be heavily
planted many of these small gaps shouldn't be visible any way.
The living epiphytic plants were attached using thin aluminum wire as a
strap with small deck screws. Wire that is twisted around a screw then
snuggly crosses the stem or rhizome and twists around the second screw. As
you tightened the screws the wire tightens on the plant, holding most
plants. Small plants can be attached with large ungalvanized electrical
staples or even glued with the 'Liquid Nails'.
Most epiphytes readily attach to cork. I have had problems with cattleya
orchids. I am not sure if the problem is an aversion to the cork, or staying
too wet. Most show no root attachment to the cork bark.
...As far as how to make it look real... I just did it by intuition, but if
you could see under the skin, there is just as much structure made from
fittings as pipe. They make a number of fitting with 22% and 45% bends. Used
lots of them to make your branches twist. Avoid long straight sections, even
though it would lower costs. The fitting (example 8" connector with a 6"
side tube at 22% angle) is the most expensive but the most important for
looks. 8" for large trunks, down to 4" for smaller branches. Do not
cantilever any branches over peoples heads more than 3' with out support.
The PVC is not that strong, a heavy epiphyte load is heavy indeed.
I can't think of anything else except that after plants are attached all the
areas that bother you tend to disappear. If you do a fallen branch as I did,
try to keep most of the branches aiming in the same general direction as if
it was from one side of the tree. I rearranged my first display when I was
1/2 way through because it wasn't looking natural.
Craig M. Allen
Conservatory Manager
Fairchild Tropical Garden
10901 Old Cutler Road
Coral Gables (Miami), FL 33156
Telephone: 305.667.1651, ext.3320
Fax: 305.667.6930
Email: callen@fairchildgarden.org
Web: www.fairchildgarden.org
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2003 6:27 PM
To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu
Subject: Re: [aroid-l] Artificial Trees
Wow, thanks for the responses so far. The article in the Orchids Magazine
mentioned the technique of using the expandable foam and then covering it
with cork bark. I would like to get a bale of cork. I have found some
sources for this in the past but I need to start looking again.
I don't have access to cypress but I do have red cedar and it's used around
here as fence post. I use it some to mount orchids and other small
epiphytes. This sounds like it could be a good on line web story. oh well
Brian has a wall, I have a tree, what else are you all dreaming of doing to
grow your plants in an attractive manner and if you are doing it already,
where are the picture. I think a page which shows members plant displays
would stir interest in the plants. Those of us in temperate to down right
frozen areas of the country, need to create the look of the tropics in our
own environment.
Any more ideas on this subject will be grateful.
Harry Witmore
Zone 7 NC
Cloud Jungle Art
Epiphytes.Org
Cloud Jungle ePiphytes
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