Mounting vanda ustii?

[judith_arquette]

After receiving my leptotes bicolor mounted I've been thinking about trying my hand at mounting. I was wondering if my vanda ustii would be a good candidate? It's very small right now and I have no idea how fast they grow.

[Brooke]

I don't know how fast they grow but they do get quite tall. It will not stay on a mount very long because the roots will get long and dangle from the mount. Mine are also generous with basal growths.

Have you considered a vanda basket or perhaps potting it up in lava rock? I grow all of my vanda type plants in containers because I do not want to stand and water the hanging roots until they green up.

It looks like a very healthy plant and does it already have a basal growth on the left side?

Brooke

[judith_arquette]

Originally Posted by Brooke

I don't know how fast they grow but they do get quite tall. It will not stay on a mount very long because the roots will get long and dangle from the mount. Mine are also generous with basal growths.

Have you considered a vanda basket or perhaps potting it up in lava rock? I grow all of my vanda type plants in containers because I do not want to stand and water the hanging roots until they green up.

It looks like a very healthy plant and does it already have a basal growth on the left side?

Brooke

I hadn't considered it but now I certainly shall

No, it just has twisty bottom leaves. I read that that's a trait of ustiis.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Twisty bottom leaves is not a natural trait of Vanda ustii or any other Vanda for that matter. It is a sign that the orchid has been rotated. That is a Vanda's equivalent of "helicopter leaves" on Phals.

I have a Vanda ustii and the bottom leaves are straight. All the bottom leaves on all of my Vandas are straight, particularly if they were never rotated when the seller grew them.

Vanda ustii grows slow. Mine still looks the same it did when I first got it a few months ago. They don't grow fast. Not very many Vandas grow fast. The fastest growing Vandas are still considered somewhat slow growing.

If you lead a very busy life, are in a position where things in your life change often, or are worried about raising your water bill even in the least bit, it is probably not a good idea to mount the Vanda. It will require you to water the orchid frequently.