Vanda Denisoniana x Mimi Palmer

[theorchidapartment]

I bought this Vanda Denisoniana x Vanda Mimi Palmer hybrid from Orchid Classics this summer after reading about growing Vandas in wine corks.

I had a number of flower spikes that blasted before getting very far. Earlier this month, a single bud finally bloomed from the smaller of the plant's two growths:




As that flower bloomed, a spike grew from the larger growth and achieved its peak today:






The difference in coloration is so intriguing; is this just a thing hybrids do, or is there a cultural reason for it?

Really glad this guy has gotten acclimated. I don't think it was very happy with the cool shoulder season between hot humid summer and hot dry winter in my apartment, but it seems fairly happy now!

I water this Vanda daily. It's on the highest (and warmest) shelf of my grow space, about as close as it can get to my Jungle Dawn LED bar. With the heat on, it's been drying out so quickly that I'm thinking I might do a top layer of smaller pieces of cork to maintain more humidity inside. Here's the whole plant before watering this morning:



Thanks for looking!

[Keysguy]

The color thing is what hybrids do. There will be differences from 1 plant to the next (just like siblings in any family) and they tend to also change a bit as the individual plant matures.

That is a super happy looking vanda. You're doing a great job!

[Mr.Fakename]

Outstanding work!

How's the smell?

[Clawhammer]

Is it fragrant at night or day time?

Lovely.

[theorchidapartment]

Funny, I didn't even think to smell it until you asked, but it's really delightful! A subtle sweet fragrance.

[Paphluvr]

You mention that the single flower was from the smaller of two growths and the multi-flowered one was from the larger growth. Due to the large difference in appearance between the two, I think it's possible that you actually have two seperate plants, both of the same cross.

[theorchidapartment]

Originally Posted by Paphluvr

You mention that the single flower was from the smaller of two growths and the multi-flowered one was from the larger growth. Due to the large difference in appearance between the two, I think it's possible that you actually have two seperate plants, both of the same cross.

Interesting!! Their roots are so enmeshed in a tiny plastic basket that I can't really tell what's going on inside, but now you have me curious. That possibility didn't even occur to me.

[Roberta]

Having two tangled seedlings is very likely. I have a Sobralia that is a cross between a deep pink and a yellow... Some of the flowers are light pink to white, others are butter-yellow in the same pot. I'm sure that is what happened, two plants that are inextricably entwined.

[Orchonubee]

Thank you for posting this, the photography was superb. But even better than that, it gave me an idea of what to do with the hundreds of corks in the garage! )

[theorchidapartment]

Originally Posted by Orchonubee

Thank you for posting this, the photography was superb. But even better than that, it gave me an idea of what to do with the hundreds of corks in the garage! )

There was a day when I ran around town like a maniac picking up free bags of corks from people and I ended up with way too many

But I actually sorted out the ones that are a very dense composite (lots of tiny pieces mashed together), which seem like they will last longer than the other kinds, which were more absorbent.