- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossom
- heyday
- use
- Is Vanda poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- sowing
- cuttings
- Vanda in the pot
- balcony
- In the greenhouse
- Pour Vanda
- Fertilize Vanda properly
- Cut Vanda correctly
- How do I plant correctly?
- pests
- Yellow leaves
- Vanda does not bloom
- sorts
Vanda orchids impress with lush flowering. The exotic plants are not easy to cultivate. Anyone who deals with the special requirements of the epiphytic plant can enjoy the flowers for many years.
Vanda includes 80 different species of orchids
Table of Contents
Show all- origin
- growth
- leaves
- blossom
- heyday
- use
- Is Vanda poisonous?
- Which location is suitable?
- What soil does the plant need?
- sowing
- cuttings
- Vanda in the pot
- balcony
- In the greenhouse
- Pour Vanda
- Fertilize Vanda properly
- Cut Vanda correctly
- How do I plant correctly?
- pests
- Yellow leaves
- Vanda does not bloom
- sorts
- Flowers only wither after several weeks
- Vandeen are pollinated by carpenter bees
- rich range of colors and sizes within the flowers
- Temperature between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius
- humidity of 90 percent
- flooded with light
- Vanda coerulea: Blooms in shades of blue and purple from October to November. Between 20 and 150 centimeters high.
- Vanda cristata: Yellowish-green flowers, striped brown-red on top, fragrant. Flowering time between March and June. Up to 20 centimeters high.
- Vanda denisoniana: White to greenish-white flowers with orange spots, fragrant.
- Vanda pumila: Small species. Whitish-green flowers with brown markings. Up to 15 centimeters high.
origin
Vanda describes a genus of orchids that includes about 80 species. The range of the species extends from India to the Philippines and the Indonesian islands. Centers of biodiversity are found in Thailand, Myanmar and Yunnan. Here the plants colonize always wet or periodically wet forests. They prefer to be found in the lowlands and conquer high altitudes in low mountain regions.
The range of the Vanda orchids is not limited to the tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast Asia. Some species inhabit habitats in north-eastern Australia. Many wild forms are cultivated. Cultivated forms are better suited as ornamental plants.
growth
Vanda species can grow into stately specimens that are up to 150 centimeters high. The majority of ornamental plants reach heights of growth between 50 and 80 centimeters. They form a main shoot that does not branch. Numerous side shoots branch off from the main shoot.
Vanda orchids grow as epiphytes on shrubs to get more light in dense forests. Their roots are specialized in this way of life. They are used for anchoring on branches and need air to survive. With the help of the long root system, the plants draw moisture from the air.
leaves
The fleshy, thickened leaves are leathery to the touch. They are dark green in color and shiny. At their base, they are folded in a V-shape along the midrib. The leaf blade is spread flat to the tip. It is shaped like a narrow line and ends in a drawn-in point. The leaf blade merges into the leaf base. At this point the orchids develop a separating tissue.
blossom
Shoots develop in the leaf axils, on which large individual flowers develop. Wild forms are monochromatic, while hybrids develop multicolored petals with attractive markings and patterns. They give off an intense scent. The flowers follow a fivefold structure. The petals are free. They are shaped differently and may appear twisted at their base so their back faces forward. Often the petals are wavy or ruffled at the edge.
heyday
Vanda orchids bloom from spring through fall. Her flowering period extends over two months, which can be repeated three times until autumn. There are varieties with tiny flowers and hybrids with strikingly large petals. They can bloom in white, yellow, orange, red, purple, or blue.
Good to know:
use
These ornamental plants beautify interiors and warm houses with their striking flowers and intense aroma. They thrive in heated greenhouses with high humidity. In optimal conditions, Vandeen are suitable for outdoor cultivation during the summer months.
Is Vanda poisonous?
Vandeen are classified as poisonous. You should not cultivate the plants if there are children or pets in your household.
Which location is suitable?
As a plant of tropical and subtropical regions, Vandeen prefer high humidity. The location should be semi-shady and bright and ensure warm temperatures. There are some species that can tolerate normal room temperatures. Cultivation is very difficult on a north-facing windowsill.
What soil does the plant need?
You do not need a substrate to keep Vandeen, as the plants root on branches in their natural habitat. The orchids should be grown hanging in slatted baskets or pots with large recesses. Here the aerial roots are free to grow and droop.
sowing
Propagation via seeds is carried out by specialist companies, as it is very complex and time-consuming. The flowers must be pollinated by hand. This is done with a toothpick that is slipped over the male flower organs. The pollen is then applied to the stigma. Vandeen need about 20 months from fertilization to fruit ripening. When the fruit pods have dried, they can be harvested.
Sterile conditions are necessary to germinate the seeds. All utensils must be free of fungal spores, bacteria and viruses. If the planter or soil is contaminated, the germs often grow faster than the seeds and kill them. Not all fungal spores are harmful. Vandeen seeds depend on special fungal spores. Without this community, the seeds cannot survive. Breeding attempts on collected pieces of bark have proved successful in many cases.
cuttings
Propagation via top cuttings requires a sure instinct, since the wrong approach can damage both the mother plant and the cuttings. A healthy plant is divided into two plants in the middle of the shoot. The upper part should have developed two to three aerial roots so that the cutting is viable. The lower part also needs enough roots to survive. With good care, after a few months it will develop side shoots on which fresh leaves will grow.
Place the head cutting in a pot lined with sphagnum moss that has sufficient holes. The moss can store and release moisture so that the plant can better develop fresh roots.
Vanda in the pot
Vandeen are cultivated hanging so that the roots grow freely and are exposed to air circulation. A pot made of transparent glass with enough holes is ideal. There are special clay pots with window-like recesses. They have the advantage over glass that the material stores water and releases it into the air. This way you can ensure high humidity. Cultivation in plastic pots is also possible. These are lined with Styrofoam for better water management.
balcony
Vanda orchids can be placed on the balcony during the summer months. The outdoor location promotes healthy root growth, provided there is sufficient humidity and heat. The orchids react less sensitively to temperature fluctuations between day and night than related species. As soon as the temperature drops below ten degrees Celsius at night, the plant should be brought in.
In the greenhouse
Vandeen come from tropical climes and like warm temperatures combined with high humidity. If these conditions cannot be guaranteed, cultivation in a greenhouse is recommended. Here the chance of flowering is very high.
Ideal conditions:
Pour Vanda
Twice a week, the aerial roots are completely immersed in a water bath. The Vanda stays here for 30 minutes so that the roots can soak up water. Make sure the water is room temperature. After the water bath, the water must be able to drain off well. The aerial roots should be completely dry between the dipping procedures. You can recognize dry roots by their greyish color. Roots saturated with water shimmer green. Then they become soft.
Vandeen prefer a humidity level of at least 60 percent. To meet this requirement, you should spray the plant with water daily. No water should be allowed to accumulate in the leaf axils, otherwise rot may occur. Mist the plant every few days during its dormant period during the winter months.
Fertilize Vanda properly
Nutrients are made available to the Vandeen via the immersion bath. During the growth phase between March and October, the orchids enjoy fertilization every three weeks. It stimulates flowering and promotes healthy growth. Use a special fertilizer for orchids and mix it with the immersion water.
Cut Vanda correctly
Regular pruning is not necessary with Vandeen. As soon as the flowering shoots have completely dried up to the base, they are shortened to two centimeters. This measure promotes further flower development. Early cutting measures harbor the risk of viruses and fungi settling at the interface.
How do I plant correctly?
When the roots have completely taken over the pot, you can treat your Vanda to a new pot. This is necessary every two to three years. In the course of this measure, injured roots or rotten spots are removed. If you keep your orchid in a plastic container with styrofoam, the material should be replaced several times a year.
pests
Under the wrong site conditions, scale insects, mealybugs or mealybugs can occasionally occur. Check humidity and temperature and adjust care accordingly. The pests can be controlled with an oily agent sprayed on the leaves. Tea tree oil or neem oil work well for making an ecological control agent
Yellow leaves
When temperatures drop below ten degrees Celsius, the leaves often develop yellow spots. These symptoms can also indicate insufficient fertilizer or conditions that are too dark. Check the site conditions and give the Vanda a better place. As a light-hungry plant, the orchid prefers a sheltered spot near a south-facing window.
Vanda does not bloom
Young plants grown from top cuttings need some time before the first flowering shoots develop. Older specimens flower more often. In order for the orchids to flower, the care must be right. If a Vanda does not bloom, it is often because the air humidity is too low and the conditions are too dark.
tips
If a flower shoot breaks off, you can place it in a vase filled with water. The flowers stay there for several weeks.