Vanda tricolor no spikes
 

Last year I bought this vanda as tricolor species. The plant has been growing great here with me, stretching overall, with new leaves sets, roots, and sprouted a keiki at the base. But I have noticed that there aren´t any old spikes remains at the leaves joints with the main stem. I suppose is blooming size (from tip to tip 24 inches and stem 10 inches). The plant came from another Mexican grower that had it in a temperate climate. Here in hot weather I think is growing fantastic, but why it never has blooming before?

I think I have a good growing schedule. The other vandas are growing well, blooming, but well, species seem that have their own tricks.

I hope this next spring-summer season, with more light hours, it will bloom. I don´t know where, I read that don´t like sea level lands (Mérida is 9 meters above sea level)

Any advice?

By the way I must to say that I really enjoy the plant, I admire its beautiful shape and elegant curves.

Thanks!!!

Mario

Maybe not mature yet?

At 10" height it is not really large enough. I think it needs to be at least 6" taller.

mmmm, maybe... I have read the next post and it seems that!

Thanks!!

---------- Post added at 08:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 PM ----------

OK!!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! No prob if the plant is still growing as good as today!! :)

Mario, are you certain that it's Vanda tricolor? It looks to me like it's a Vanda merrillii, which is a closely related species but requires slightly different growing conditions. V. tricolor (in my experience) seems to appreciate a cooler winter rest period, whereas V. merrillii enjoys consistently warm temperatures throughout the year. Both species can flower multiple times per year, but tricolor blooms primarily in the spring, and merrillii flowers in the summer months. So between now and July, I would keep an eye out for a spike or two. Both species bloom for me at the size your plant is currently at (although yes, getting it to grow somewhat taller can't hurt--the more leaf axils it has, the more chances of spikes to form).

To encourage it to bloom, try suspending any high-nitrogen fertilizer. You can use a bloom booster, but I think--and it's only an opinion--it's more beneficial to simply cut down on the nitrogen.

Good luck with your plant. It looks very healthy. Maybe just stressing it to a small degree (higher light, less nitrogen) will now give it the boost it needs to flower for you.

Steve

Thanks Steve!!!!, well I can´t say that this vanda is a tricolor one. Maybe as you say is another one or a primary hybrid. We well see... but checking the Rastafouni's blog about vanda species it seems that merrillii has a curve at that last 1/3 of the leaf, and mine is not so curved. But well, we will have the doubt until blooming.

I fertilize with a balanced formula. As you advice me I would use a blossom booster. I think my vandas are growing fine, so now I can refine my growing conditions checking what it will be better for each plant.

Again thank you for your tips.

Regards from Yucatan!!! :)

Mario

You're welcome, Mario.

And I just noticed that you live in the Yucatan, which makes me envious since Rhyncholaelia digbyana is native to your area and is one of my favorite species. It would be wonderful to see this species growing in its native habitat.

Best of luck with your vandas.

Steve

Thanks Steve!!!
Oh yes, Rhyncholaelia digbyana is from here, and my nickname here in OB is the Mayan name for it!!! :-) the translation is more or less like "the white feathers flower". Nice, isn´t it?

Mario

That is a mature blooming sized Vanda as far as I know=by the size of it and by the length of leaves. The mere fact that it produced a keiki. So this blooming cycle it decided to give you a keiki instead of blooms....therefore, next blooming cycle it will give you flowers....
You have the right environmental conditions to grow Vandas.
But maybe its the hard water and the kind of fertilizer you are using must be changed. To bloom your orchids you need to give them less nitrogen two months before its blooming cycle....
Commercial fertilizer comes with three numbers on the packaging, indicating the amount of different nutrients in the fertilizer. The first number in the ratio stands for the percentage of nitrogen in the fertilizer mixture, and the second two stand for the percentages of phosphorous and potassium. For example, a 5-10-10 ratio fertilizer contains 5 percent nitrogen, which is half as much nitrogen as phosphorous and potassium. When looking for a low-nitrogen commercial fertilizer, look for a fertilizer with a nutrient ratio that has a low first number.

:)Thanks Bud!!! Since two weeks ago I changed to a 6-12-6 formula, now that our "winter" is finishing (20ºC- 32º C) and the hot season (25º C-40º C) is arriving with high temperature, no rain and light increasing. I think too that this Vanda is capable to blooming soon. It´s growing fine, has new roots, every new leaves set is stretching well. My watering schedule is twice per day, but the early morning watering has a tiny, tiny, tiny fertilizer drop dissolved into my 2 liters spraying bottle. Is it OK?

THANKS!!!!

Mario