Vanda merrillii - first of three spikes

[dgenovese1]

Originally Posted by Swamper

I'm looking for it in Miami, anyone know where I can buy it locally?

Joe,

I have a seedling plant I found locally...but they will ship if you need them to. I got mine from Camp-Lot-A-Noise Tropicals in Sarasota. here is a link to their website. They do have things not listed on the site, so it doesn't hurt to call and ask.

Camp-Lot-A-Noise Tropicals

[smweaver]

Swamper, I still do have this plant. It only produced two spikes this summer (instead of the three it put out last year). But there were still a total of twenty-five flowers (twelve on the last spike to develop, and thirteen on the first one). How big was the plant you saw at Fairchild? The one I have is now approaching three feet tall, and it has a number of large keikis around the base. And yes, the fragrance is great. If you get a chance to grab one (surely someone there in South Florida grows this species), don't pass by the opportunity. In addition to the flowers, it's an easy grower.

Paul, if I wasn't so terribly lazy about being involved in an orchid society, I would be pleased to take this somewhere to get it judged. A couple of people have told me that they suspect that it might be a hybrid instead of a true merrillii. Their comments were based on just what you mentioned: the coloration. How you can tell the difference between a merrillii hybrid and V. merrillii is beyond my capabilities. But whatever it is, I'm fond of it.

Thanks to everyone else for your comments!

Steve

[Swamper]

Thanks David. I'm looking for one a little older than seedling. I'll be calling all the locals around here soon
Steve the one at Fairchild was pretty big maybe not quite 3 ft and not as flowery as yours. The colors were amazing and the fragrance was very very nice. I have the fotos on another thread somewhere, I'd have to look for it and figure out if I can copy and paste. Let me see if I can figure this out.

[orchideric]

What is even better is that your plant actually is Vanda merrillii. Many of the plants in cultivation - including AOS awarded clones such as 'Black Magic' - are old lost label merrillii hybrids and not the pure species.

Eric

[Dorothy]

Is this the one? Swamper
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...these-you.html

Here are 2 other past threads of it's hybrids -
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...re-wanted.html
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ry-foster.html

[Swamper]

Dorithy I actually have a picture downloaded to a thread on my trip to Fairchild Tropical Gardens yesterday but I can't find it and it's on my home PC. I looked at the other pics you linked us to....beautiful....thanks.

[Swamper]

here's the one from Fairchild...

[dgenovese1]

Originally Posted by smweaver

...

Paul, if I wasn't so terribly lazy about being involved in an orchid society, I would be pleased to take this somewhere to get it judged. A couple of people have told me that they suspect that it might be a hybrid instead of a true merrillii. Their comments were based on just what you mentioned: the coloration. How you can tell the difference between a merrillii hybrid and V. merrillii is beyond my capabilities. But whatever it is, I'm fond of it.

Thanks to everyone else for your comments!

Steve

Steve,

There is often color variations within any particular species, and in particular within Vanda species. It is quite possible that you do posess the species rather than a hybrid thereof. I just thought I'd throw my in.

[orchideric]

Hey Swamper,

The Fairchild plant is a hybrid - the plant clearly has a dose of V. tricolor in it and perhaps other species that flower at the equator without any seasonality (V. insignis, V. luzonica). They are all very fragrant species.

Eri

[Swamper]

Hey Eri,
How do you see a clear dose of tricolor, not doubting just wanting to learn more. The tag on the plant only said V. Merrillii and pics in books look very close to it. I just wanna know how to determine so much from the pics. Thanks