Huge, Established Vanda That's Never Bloomed?

[sprater16]

Hello all, wonder if you've ever run across this situation before. I purchased a huge, out-of-bloom vanda (V. Bangyikhan x V. coerulea) a few weeks ago for a great price. It's about 2 and 1/2 feet tall, with two 8 inch keikis and about 4 feet of roots. I recently retagged everything in my greenhouse and took a closer look at the plant and realized it doesn't have any previous bloom stalks. At first I thought I was crazy, so I went axial by axial, leaf by leaf and sure enough, not a single old bloom stalk. Not a dried brown stalk, not an undeveloped spike, not even a bump that resembles what might have been a spike starting. I have nearly 100 vanda, ascocenda, and the like in my shadehouse and I have never run into such a thing. It's obviously very healthy, I mean, it's freakin' huge! Not so much as a missing leaf! Is it possible that (A) it just hasn't had the right light, temp, humidity, etc. or (B) perhaps it's incapable of producing flowers? Is that even possible? I know sterile plants exist but they flower and just can't produce seeds. Cast your vote! I need the opinion of experts! Thanks for your help!

[dgenovese1]

Hey Sprater,

I'd guess that it just hasn't had the right stuff to make it bloom before...although it does look very healthy.

Umm..I have a V. sanderiana that bloomed for its first time this year...and it is a huge plant too...about 20 inches tall with a small keiki and about 3 feet of roots. Sometimes they are just stubborn when it comes to blooming.

[neb]

Could be a matter of not enough light or I have heard that to much nitrogen can inhibit flowering. I hope that a plant that looks that good isn't just a prima donna .

[Swamper]

Hi Sprater, welcome to the board , sorry Im a little late but...man that sure does look healthy and from the coloring on the leafs it looks like its getting enough sun. I guess its just one of those stubborn ones that take forever and a day to bloom.

[tomancreed]

Hi Sprater,
I have a 5 ft one and a 4 foot one that have never bloomed. I also have a couple of 2 footers that have bloomed. So you are not alone. I was wondering if its that the 5 and 4' have to put all thier energy growth because they are so tall so they don't flower. I thought about cutting and transplanting but it so cool looking I will be fine if it never blooms.

[JennS]

I don't know if it is possible, that this particular plant will never produce flowers, but I did have a very large one that i recently acquired that appeared to never have bloomed either. It is about 2 and 1/2 feet tall, plus about 4 feet of roots. It flowered for me this summer however.

[sprater16]

Hello again all and thanks for your comments. I was in a lovely garden store called "Green Garden Supply" on Northlake Blvd. in North Palm Beach, FL this past week and saw the same cross, v. coerulea x V. Bangyikan (as well as some other HUGE vandas). The plant and roots were about the same size as mine and it only had one keiki instead of two. Anyways, it had a spike that was just getting ready to bloom and on closer inspection, I confirmed that it was the first spike the plant had produced. This makes me think that mine isn't too far away from blooming due to the comparison in size. As some of you mentioned, and I have to agree, some vandas simply need to reach enormous proportions before they bloom. I'll keep mine happy in the meantime and hope for blooms in the near future. Thanks again for all your help!

[neb]

I can't wait to see pic's of yours in bloom.

[Junebug]

Hi Sprater,

Don't give up on this beauty. It took me 5 years for my Vanda (received as a cutting) to mature enough to bloom. She'd been teasing me since last April with mystery bumps that never developed into anything and then 4 tiny spikes that would begin to grow, but stopped at about 1/2" in length and just sat there. Finally, finally she developed a 5th spike which is now blooming and she's also producing a kieki at her base.

[K.C.]

Hi Sprater16 I had a Vanda for 15 years that thought it would never bloom, them a old orchid grower told me to put it out in full sun for the summer. I said to him don’t you think that will kill it and he said “what do care if it dose it isn’t blooming “. So I put it out and it produced a 4 foot spike of ugly yellow inflorescences. Over the bank!