Vanda Orchids

Orchid Vanda are some of the worlds most beautiful orchids and contain some of the rare blue orchid vanda seen in cultivation today. They are naturally found in the Himalayas, Australia as well as some parts of New Guinea. All of the Vanda are epiphytic and grow on the trunks or branches of trees, this allows their aerial roots free access to any moisture in the atmosphere. They can grow in to tall plants up to 3 to 4' high and are generally grown in either baskets or on cork bark with the roots hanging down. The flowers of orchid vanda are usually flat faced and usually appear round as the petals and sepals are of equal size. A well grown plant may flower two or three times a year and produce up to 3 or 4 spikes of 10 3 to 5 inch flowers which can last for over a month. Quite a stunning display can be achieved from a well grown collection of Vanda.

The name "Vanda" is derived from the Sanskrit name for the species Vanda tessellata. The orchid Vanda is a special orchid. It stands out due to its large often blue flowers but is also found in other colors. The orchid Vanda is not planted in a pot due to its air roots which must be placed in water once a week for half an hour.

Gifts for Gardeners Everyone on Your List Should Be This Easy - November 18, 2007 - About.com: There is always some new gardening tool or toy that we gardeners would love to try. Even if you never noticed that your resident gardener had no fingers left...

Origination of Orchid - November 18, 2007 - EzineArticles.com: Orchid is one of the most assorted genes of plants. Basically, it derives its expression from the term Greek Orchis testicle through its emergence from the pseudobulbs in certai ...

How to Take Care for Indoor Bamboo Plants - November 18, 2007 - EzineArticles.com: Care for indoor bamboo plants ensures in healthy growth of bamboo plant. It includes proper fertilization, nourishment and sapping. These in reality are wild long grass that grow ...

Fabulously oriental and exotic orchid Vanda contains the rare blue orchid

These mostly epiphytic, but sometimes lithophytic or terrestrial orchids are distributed in India, Himalaya, SE Asia, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Guinea, southern China and northern Australia.

The genus has a monopodial growth habit with leaves that are highly variable according to habitat. Some have flat, typically broad, ovoid leaves (strap-leaves), while others have cylindrical (terete), fleshy leaves and are adapted to dry periods. The stems of these orchids vary considerably in size; there are miniature plants and plants with a length of several meters. Most orchid Vanda show a yellow-brown color with brown markings, but they also appear in white, green, orange, red and burgundy shades. The lip has a small spur. Vanda usually bloom every few months and the flowers last for two to three weeks.

This genus is one of the five most horticulturally important orchid genera, because it has some of the most magnificent flowers to be found in the entire orchid family. This has contributed much to the work of hybridists producing flowers for the cut flower market. Orchid vanda cerulea is one of the few botanical orchids with blue flowers (actually a very bluish purple), a property much appreciated for producing interspecific and intergeneric hybrids. Vanda dearei is one of the chief sources of yellow color in Vanda hybrids.

Orchid Vanda Miss Joaquim is the National Flower of Singapore.

Many orchid Vanda (especially Vanda coerulea) are endangered, because of habitat destruction. The export of wild-collected specimens of the Blue orchid vanda (Vanda coerulea) and other wild orchid Vanda is prohibited worldwide, as all orchids are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

E-books (downloadable over the internet)

ORCHIDS TO BRAG ABOUT . click here

ORCHID SECRETS REVEALED click here

THE MAGIC OF ORCHIDS click here

Home

Growing and Caring for Orchids

* Getting your orchids to re-bloom