What are sun vandas?

[Maru777]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Is she able to grow them in the sun?

Yes, not quite full on sun since they are on the side of the house so they get shaded a bit by the house itself but very much out in the open. None of the orchids I have would survive there, but hers are doing really well. I’ll take some pics next time. I think humidity helps though, a day of less than 70% humidity here is pretty rare.

[estación seca]

The Papilionanthe hybrids in the US are called "terete" or "quarter terete" Vanda hybrids, after their ancestor Papilionanthe teres, formerly Vanda teres. They should do well in that situation. In Singapore and south Florida people grow them as landscape plants in full sun, along with the large red Renanthera hybrids.

[Maru777]

Originally Posted by estación seca

In Singapore and south Florida people grow them as landscape plants in full sun, along with the large red Renanthera hybrids.

Same! Here is my red renanthera hybrid in full sun My one and only vandaceous orchid. I did not know it was in this family when I bought it as a seedling. The one the vendor had on display at tamiami was just sooo my favourite color I had to buy it. I actually bought 2 just in case I killed one. Both still alive, though only the one in full sun bloomed, the other one not yet, though that one grew bigger.

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by Roberta

When I search for the term "sun vanda orchid", Google comes up with a bunch of Vanda pictures. "Sun Vanda Care" brings up general Vanda culture info. So I think it is a trade name... In searching for a Vanda (they all like sun) for your friend, you should consider your friend's conditions. Most Vandas like "hot and humid", and prefer to be bare-root. This makes them a challenge to grow in a non-tropical climate. Some are more forgiving than others. As I mentioned before, Ascocendas tend to be easier to maintain in a less-than-greenhouse situation. Smaller, more cold-tolerant, easier to grow in pots (with VERY good drainage... large bark or inorganic medium) to give the roots the humidity that they crave. Renantheras can also be more forgiving than the big Vandas, but they're not small and watering/humidity/air still creates an issue.

I beg to differ with one part of this statement. Vandas do not 'prefer to be bare root'. This is simply how they are grown in Thailand and Hawaii (due to heavy rain fall most of the year).

With controlled lesser watering, they do just as well in a basket filled with spaghnum & bark.

That's how my dad grew them in his nursery, and how I have grown my 1-200 plants for the past 25 years.

[Ben_in_North_FLA]

looks like motes is referring to full sun vandas, either terete or partial terete vanda hybrids that can grow in full sun. I used to grow them in SoFla in large clay pots with lava rock and they were in pretty constant bloom once they reach a full size and sprouted a few keiki's.
Frequently sold as top cuttings imported from Thailand cut flower growers, Vanda JVB (josephine van brero) would be on of those hybrids with coral and sunset tone flowers.