looking for Vanda / Aerides Flabellata Care sheet...

[Dan5]

Hi,

As tittle says, I've been looking for a care sheet for Vanda / Aerides Flabellata for the last few nights now, I don't have a lot of orchid experience but I saw an interesting looking one on ebay and bought it.

I got the Flabellata and put it in a free draining mix in a 2" pot but even though I can't find anything online about how to best care for it, I get the feeling from looking at other Vandas that it should have its roots half exposed in a more epiphyte type way?

I live in the UK and have the option to keep it in a south facing back room or in a terrarium under fluorescent lights...

Any help or links would be much appreciated

[dounoharm]

aos....American orchid society....has wonderful care sheets for all types of orchids....use the one for vandas....good luck!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

First, lets tell you the easy stuff.

Intermediate to warm (55 F - 95 F).

Moderately bright indirect.

Moderate humidity (60% -70%) is adequate.

Dry between waterings.

Now, we get to the stuff you can do…

You may:

1. Grow in a wood slat basket.

2. Grow in a net pot.

3. Grow in a transparent plastic pot.

4. Grow in an opaque plastic pot.

If you decide to grow in a plastic pot, I recommend a clear plastic pot.

If you choose to grow in a pot of any kind, a medium to large grade of bark is recommended.

If you choose to grow in a wood slat basket, potting media is not necessary. If you feel that the plant's roots are desiccating without any potting media in the wood slat basket, then you may add some medium to large grade bark.

If you choose to grow in a net pot, you may add some medium to large grade bark and add a thin layer, (1 strand thick), as a top dressing. Be sure to watch your orchid carefully to see how things go the first few weeks and adjust watering accordingly.

[Bud]

I would rather you look into Aerides culture than the general Vanda culture.
One of our members here (pheli) from Taiwan grows this orchid plant and it might help you to message him regarding how he cares for this kind of orchid.

I also got this from the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens:

Aerides Culture | Selby Gardens

And this one is from Orchids Wiki:

Aerides flabellata - Orchids Wiki

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

This species grows like some of the Vandas I currently grow, except these don't tolerate being grown cooler than 55 F. I have grown some Aerides flabellata before, but I tend to get the seedlings, so they are not all that strong. When they are young, you need to be careful not to underwater for too long, or they will dehydrate very quickly.

[Fairorchids]

While it grows in Burma to Thailand, it grows at about 2700 feet elevation. Thus, consider it intermediate to warm.

All my aerides (incl 15 flabellata seedlings) do fine in baskets and net pots, in a mix that is 2/3 spaghnum & 1/3 bark/charcoal. They do not like to dry out.

They are mid-level plants, so they like light, but not as much as Vandas. If you give them Cattleya level light, they should be fine.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Some species of Vandas do not need to be blasted with light. In fact, some of these Vandas will die from sunburn if exposed to too strong a light source.

There are Vandas that I can grow alongside some Oncs. Vanda bensonii is one of them. Another one is Vanda lilacina.

When I mention that a plant should be watered after drying out completely, I don't necessarily mean leaving it dry for several days. I tend to mean once it dries out, then water. These don't like to be kept constantly moist. The roots need some air to breath a bit before they get watered again.

Like I said, if they are left dry for too long, they desiccate pretty easily.

I wouldn't let it go completely dry for more than 2 days max. A 1 to 2 day dry out will not kill them. If you leave them completely dry for about 1 week straight, you will start to notice signs of dehydration stress.

[Dan5]

Thanks everyone,

I have read through all that you've said and now feel I've got a much better chance of caring for my orchid. I've changed the pot to a clear one with holes for better ventilation and changed the medium to just bark for now as I think it was a bit too dense and wet before. I'll keep an eye on it and add sphagnum if it dries out too quickly.

I'm surprised that I couldn't find much on the internet with a google search so have saved all the links posted.

Thanks again all!