Vanda Pakchong Pink

[Bud]

Registrant Name: P.Kran Som Prot
Originator Name: Suksan
Date of registration: 08/23/1996

Seed parent: Vanda Fuchs Delight
Pollen Parent: Vanda Bangyikhan Blue

Vanda Pakchong Pink has a strong "dose" of Vanda coerulea in its ancestry as noticed on the lip and the anther cap, so it should be pretty cold tolerant yet it has more Bangyikhan in coloring (sometimes manifests hot vivid pink colors in mutation). The Vanda Fuchs Delight trait is prominent by the spots on the petals. This orchid plant gave me 11 large 5 to 6 inches diameter flat flowers in its vivid natural colors captured in the overcast skies. The flowers last for 2 months and a half with color shade darker sugar pink as it dies out.
This is in the south facing bay window in winter and I put it outdoors on the fire escape in the warmer months. It doesn't have any medium in the tiny basket it is in so I placed it in a large glass cylinder when the roots grew thick and long. This is a seven year old plant that stands 3 feet and 4 ½ feet with the roots stretched (the roots are curled inside the glass vase for easy watering).
This Vanda gets a pretty thorough daily soaking (via pressure sprayer); twice daily in summer. "Pretty thorough" means the roots get sprayed once, the water is allowed to soak in while I do the potted plants, and then I go back and thoroughly spray it again. Like most of my Vandaceous orchids, the roots take a little while to have water soak into them - when the root covering layer (velamen) is dry and whitish in color, it takes a little while to hydrate. So, to really water such roots effectively, I need to soak them until the entire root is green and glistening wet. Places where these orchids naturally grow get a lot of water on a regular basis with the morning dew, but then dry out before the next drenching early evening in the monsoon rains; therefore, these plants appreciate mimicking this watering regimen. At least, that is the case where the leaves are strap shaped. Round/cylindrical leaves (terete) generally come from drier climates, so I lessen the water regimen.
Vandas also seem to appreciate being fed; mine is probably under-fed as I tend to fertilize based on the requirements of the more sensitive species in my collection. I hold fertilizer in winter.

[silken]

Gorgeous!

[WhiteRabbit]

Fabulous!

[Yazz]

Beautiful! It's amazing what you grow on your fire escape.

[Bud]

Originally Posted by silken

Gorgeous!

Thank You, silken!!!!

---------- Post added at 09:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:02 PM ----------

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

Fabulous!

Thank You, Sonya !!!!!

---------- Post added at 09:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Yazz

Beautiful! It's amazing what you grow on your fire escape.

Thank You, Yazz!!!!

-the fire escape in warmer months is the only outdoors I can give my plants since winters in Manhattan can be quite harsh and they all make do in the windowshill....

[wintergirl]

Fabulous! Love the color.

[Leafmite]

That is really a brilliant color, Bud! Fantastic!

[AndreaK]

That is an amazing plant. I absolutely love the color of the flowers. Your pictures and posts are always lovely and very informative. Thanks for sharing!

[Bud]

Originally Posted by wintergirl

Fabulous! Love the color.

Thank You, Colette !!!!

---------- Post added at 04:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:03 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Leafmite

That is really a brilliant color, Bud! Fantastic!

Thank You Leafmite !!!!

---------- Post added at 04:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:04 AM ----------

Originally Posted by AndreaK

That is an amazing plant. I absolutely love the color of the flowers. Your pictures and posts are always lovely and very informative. Thanks for sharing!

Thank You, Andrea for your kind encouraging words....

I make it a point to describe my orchids in every post .... my culture and care....the history and origins and how it made me feel from spike to flowers opening its bloom as I finally present it to all of you

[nikkik]

The color is fantastic. It's a beautiful plant all around. Great growing, Bud!