OMG! My mom just bought me a blue Vanda from the local grocery store for $20!

[SoCalOrchidGirl]

Originally Posted by tryingtoflower

In the winter if it's cold I hang them from a tension rod in my west facing window. It's rarely cold here so I usually give them full sun then. I was bound and determined to grow one and had success with the blues. The others didn't survive.

So are the blues hardier than the other? Also I'm not familiar with vandas but I know there are warm tolerant and cold tolerant. I'm not sure which one I purchased since it's a No ID. Is there a way I can tell by its leaves?

I live in San Fernando Valley, which is west of downtown LA, it gets hot and dry in the summer. I would say humidity in the 20s to 30s during the hottest time of the day.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Nice find. I don't have a vanda either so dry here. But I do have 2 vanda mixes and so far so good. One is spiking, yippy!!!!!

[MattWoelfsen]

Congratulations! I think where you live makes growing this Vanda easier, than say growing them in Fort Wayne, IN because you do not have the kind of bitter cold winters that make growing such a large plant expensive. The challenge you have is humidity. If you can grow your plant in bright light, like a balcony or patio that gets 3-4 hours of eastern or western light, and shield it from overhead, noon day sun, you will enjoy this plant a long time. Just as long as you provide moisture early in the day and maybe, another hydration time a couple of hours before sundown?

Vanda like this need a lot of moisture but they also like to dry out before another watering--so you have to watch its root system. During the summer, feed them well.

Here is a delightful YouTube video. I think you have Vanda Pachara. This plant blooms in two colors, the deep blue in your picture or deep purple. This is a very popular Vanda. Another name it goes by is 'Roberts Delight'.

[theloyalplum]

Originally Posted by SoCalOrchidGirl

Oh I wish vandas were offered in grocery stores here in Southern California!! My mom lives in the Midwest...I can't believe they can get vandas so readily but we can't.

Right? Socal is like the place to grow orchids in the country (and Florida) because of climate, but we never ever EVER get the selection of bag babies at the home improv. and grocery stores. I don't get it!

[Kevinator]

The blue ones have Vanda coerulea in the parentge, which is a cool tolerant vanda and probably the most famous vanda species. This makes the hybrids hardier and I've heard that they can tolerate temperatures down to the low 40's. By the way, nice find! I can never find anything besides oncidium hybrids and phals in my grocery stores and I live in SoCal .

[SoCalOrchidGirl]

Originally Posted by MattWoelfsen

Congratulations! I think where you live makes growing this Vanda easier, than say growing them in Fort Wayne, IN because you do not have the kind of bitter cold winters that make growing such a large plant expensive. The challenge you have is humidity. If you can grow your plant in bright light, like a balcony or patio that gets 3-4 hours of eastern or western light, and shield it from overhead, noon day sun, you will enjoy this plant a long time. Just as long as you provide moisture early in the day and maybe, another hydration time a couple of hours before sundown?

Vanda like this need a lot of moisture but they also like to dry out before another watering--so you have to watch its root system. During the summer, feed them well.

Here is a delightful YouTube video. I think you have Vanda Pachara. This plant blooms in two colors, the deep blue in your picture or deep purple. This is a very popular Vanda. Another name it goes by is 'Roberts Delight'.

I think I have the Pachara Blue too. Its funny you linked that video... the moment I found out my mom bought it for me, I started watching videos and finding older posts on here on how to take care one. Always wanted one, especially the blue one, I just hope I can keep it alive and thriving.

---------- Post added at 11:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Kevinator

The blue ones have Vanda coerulea in the parentge, which is a cool tolerant vanda and probably the most famous vanda species. This makes the hybrids hardier and I've heard that they can tolerate temperatures down to the low 40's. By the way, nice find! I can never find anything besides oncidium hybrids and phals in my grocery stores and I live in SoCal .

Oh this beauty didn't come from SoCal grocery stores...my mom lives in the midwest, I guess Vandas are common there?!

Like you said, all I can find at grocery stores are phals and oncidiums...occasionally I have seen mini cattleyas at Trader Joes.

[turock]

Oh wow, I live in the midwest! Which grocery store did she find this beauty at?? They occasionally sell Vandas at my local "Food Pyramid" store, but they go for $40 a pop at least.

---------- Post added at 11:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:30 PM ----------

And, as far as Vandas being cold or heat tolerant, I've found that mine tell me pretty quickly what they're not liking.

I don't have a coerulea variety, so I can't speak directly to them. But I do have a few different strap-leaved Vandas, and I noticed that when the nights got a little too cool for their liking, the lower leaves started to droop at the base of the plant. It seemed to be different than an old leaf drooping naturally, because each time the night temp dropped below 50, a leaf would droop within the next day or two.

When it got too hot during the summer, more leaves drooped and one plant began to turn a yellowish color and some of its buds blasted. Both of these events can indicate heat stress. Just moving it deeper into the shade lowered the temp enough for it to bounce back and even bloom again!

In my experience, they're tough, but truly tropical plants. Be sure to water it religiously (I was advised to water every day that the sun is out) and pay close attention so you can react quickly if it's telling you it's not happy.

[SoCalOrchidGirl]

Originally Posted by turock

Oh wow, I live in the midwest! Which grocery store did she find this beauty at?? They occasionally sell Vandas at my local "Food Pyramid" store, but they go for $40 a pop at least.

My mom lives in Omaha, NE. She bought it from Hy-vee supermarket. See if there is a store in your area.

[gardengirl13]

Oh so jealous!!!! I finally saw Vandas for sale here once and they were $100! $20, I would have bought one or two just to try them!! Very cool find!!