What's your thoughts on doing this with succulents? I would have thought spagham moss would hold way too much water for a succulent

The kokedama isn't made of moss. Its a ball of mud with a thin layer of Sphagnum moss over and then wrapped in string to keep it together. If you could figure out how to keep cactus soil glued together while wrapping it in moss and string, it would probably work.

The kokedoma is supposed to be a living thing so would have to live in the shade or the moss would die. But I suspect the moss is sacrified for the good of the cactus.

One would assume based on the text below the image that this is some kind of mutant interpretation of "kokedama string garden" where the soil is omitted and 100% spaghnum moss refers to the absence of soil (or mud, as the case may be). I have seen some weird stuff for sale locally where people improvised with various substrates (including that one), and I think the main reason the moss ball would work is because it can radiate humidity in every direction, given the absence of a pot to block that process anywhere. Think of it as a clay pot with relatively limited diameter.

Depending on the climate and how often you water, I bet a moss ball (quote unquote kokedama) would work for a variety of succulent plants. I wonder how you would suspend that, and also how it would accommodate future growth (the monkey tail will be radically underpotted once it becomes monkey tails, as they inevitably do). So it might look good for a little while but I suspect it's downhill from there.

Purely my opinion but I think the pic looks like something is started but not finished. Nothing is attached to hang it. All of that empty space around the ball seems to be begging for more plants to be added.

I'm sure there are different balls with different stuff in them out there, so it may not be possible to generalize much, but the pictured ball looks similar to the orchid balls that I have. Is the term "kokedama" used just for moss-covered balls of soil, or is it correct to call a moss-covered ball of something else "kokedama?" What if there is no moss?

That stuff aside, this is so weird! WHAT is in the air? Just this past weekend, I was looking at 2 moss-ball orchids, wondering why I've never added more. More stuff to dangle over the sides and take better advantage of the vast amount of space available from under the leaves downward. I would try any succulent plant this way. I stuck a little rosette of Grapto-something in there because it was already in my hand looking for a home. This weekend I have planned to put more stuff in there, definitely some skinny Rhipsalis, probably some Callisia (this one Striped Inch Plant (Callisia gentlei var. elegans) ), probably some Sedum (this Petrosedum rupestre ).

These orchids are so happy, I've never disturbed them to find out what is going on in there but what I can see is some wood chips, a metal outer frame covered in moss, wrapped in twine. There could be some soil under a layer of wood chips but not much, gauging by the weight when soaked. These things dry incredibly quickly. it's been tricky to dunk and spritz them often enough to keep the moss green. (At least 2x week.) So it seems logical that succulents would also dig it.

@purpleinopp
Nice to see a post from you, Tiffany. Some time back you were MIA, but I cut way back on the subjects I try to keep up with, so you possibly may have been posting now for a while in forums I'm not currently reading. I'm slow at the best of times, so not staying abreast of so many forums frees up a little bit of time. I do miss reading posts, though.

Hey, Donald! Good to "see" you! I have not been on here for a couple years. I can't quantify what I am doing here yet, more specifically than dabbling.

The original kokedama didn't hang, they sat. Little green living balls with little plants sticking out their tops. They also aren't intended as a permanent planter, more of a display piece.

But, obviously, they have evolved. Which is pretty cool... Tiffany has me thinking ... I have buried small growing orchids in a ball of moss and dropped them into a small bonsai pot but, never tried to hand one up. And the moss quickly deteriorates and needs to be replaced.

As for succulents and cactus... the moss would have to be packed pretty tightly (and a LOT of string added) to keep it in the string and not falling apart when you hung it up. The classic kokedama has a ball of mud (more like clay) in the middle to add substance. In Japan, moss will grow on anything.

Fascinating! I've only been exposed to the term being applied to hanging entities. The images going around at the time were part of what gave me the ideas to make a cone-shaped and a log-shaped planter with chicken wire and window screen. And to use an old fry basket, and various wire baskets as planters, most have ground dirt. It seemed like a good lazy alternative using stuff I had around the shed. The plants are still in them, doing well.

As promised.

Deja vu all over again...

I attended a virtual seminar led by Jason Fraiser (Orchidweb) yesterday. He commented his next seminar would be about kokedama. I might have to attend.

I have a rhipsalis volunteer in an orchid pot - its quickly overtaking the orchid.

Something is definitely in the air!

These balls seem not-so-different from the wire items I like to repurpose as planters, usually hung. The end result is so similar - a planting medium exposed to air on all sides instead of being encased in a pot.

Other orchid that I've had for 2-3 years. I've been working at this over the past week, imagining it being easier to slip little stems under the orchid roots on the outside of the ball but not so much. That's a tight situation. There's a barrier between the moss and whatever is inside the ball.

Inside because a stupid April fools frost is expected tonight.

That's really cool Purpleinopp, I was just given 2 orchids and you make me want to try it on them! Gives me even more of a reason to buy some spagham moss as I also need to make some moss poles because I didnt realise tha Philodendrons won't climb the generic coir fibre ones.
Keep me updated with how your one progresses!

Happy to share the madness! I'm not sure how the stems around the outside of the ball are going to do but we will see. I have much more optimism about the stems that are stuck into the opening.

About the Philodendron, the moss may or may not make a difference. A trellis is my preferred way to get vines going up. Either way, best luck!

A progress shot. Some of the little pieces of Sedum fell out but the ones that stayed have rooted.

Jim, what's going on lately? How are your orchids? Did you stick any succulent snips in with them?

My orchids finished blooming about 6-7 weeks ago, and one got sunburned when I left for 10 days but has grown past it. The little Sedum and Rhipsalis bits are hanging in there. I really do like looking @ the moss balls much more with the added succulent bits.

I like to do a lot of weird things with the plant that I have, but still can not think of any ways to combine the orchids with succulents, my orchids are without soil at all, just charcoal and bricks

Any way I am not going to combine this 2 plants that I somehow have problem to grow them, I can only made dendrobium to bloom, fail in all other orchids.

But good to see some creative ideas..

I think rhipsalis are epiphytes, epiphyllum also, probably others. I hadn't thought about combining them with orchids in the same pot! Some cacti come from the tropics, so might be able to handle the water and fertilizer.
I live in a cave and have never heard of kokedama. Can someone explain the basics?

I don't consider that I combined plants since I just snipped bits from here and there and stuck them in. Not the same as using 2 or more rooted plants and potting them together. A subtle distinction.

Yes, Rhipsalis and Epiphyllum are epiphytes, just like Phal orchids. I'm not qualified to explain kokedama, not sure if hanging moss-ball orchids meet the original definition, but there was another discussion about it a while back:
The thread "Have you ever heard of Kokedama???" in Containers forum

The appeal for me is the unusual appearance. I've seen countless pots that I love, but when a plant is "using" another object instead, I always think it's cool (except a few that just don't suit me personally, like using a bra or a boot for a planter). I still like seeing those, but would not create something myself in that direction.

@Daisyl might have more info to share, and probably some other people if they see this discussion.

Traditionally, Kokedama was a ball of mud wrapped in living moss. It wasn't meant to be permanent, more of a decoration to put with the bonsai when they were on display.

The new versions seem to be balls of sphagnum moss with decorative green moss wrapped around the outside to simulate the living moss. The originals weren't meant to be watered because by the time the mud dried, the display was over. The new Kokedama are placed in a saucer of water to soak up water and then allowed to dry again. I can see where a Phalaenopsis would be pretty happy in this set up. The succulents would do well too.

I have rhipsalis growing in my orchid pots in my greenhouse - watered daily and high humidity. I'll post photos when I can get to my computer.