The Vanda orchid is a type of orchid typically native to the Philippines, Borneo, and South Asian areas of the globe. The Vanda orchid comes in many beautiful shades. It is highly prized for the rare blue orchid variety of Vanda orchids, although blue orchids are endangered and it is unlawful to move them from their native place.

Vanda orchids are naturally symbiotic epiphyte flowers. This means the orchids have a hanging roots which attach to trees and they survive off of the trees themselves. This is unlike terrestrial orchids which grown in the earth and retrieve their nutrients from the ground. 

If you are thinking to care for Vanda orchids, you are not alone. Many people prefer to grow Vanda orchids for their full, round blooms. Vanda orchids can easily be cared for indoors or outdoors. If you are keeping Vanda orchids indoors, make sure they get plenty of sunlight. Also, do not over water or over feed them. Vanda orchids, like all orchids are sensitive to their environment. Keeping them at temperatures between sixty five and eighty five degrees Fahrenheit is recommended.

If you keep your Vanda orchids outdoors, you may want to consider getting them a hanging planter., Because their roots are not grounded, these beautiful flowers thrive best in a hanging environment. Keep you vanda orchid out of too much sunlight, however. They will dry out or get burnt easily if in too much direct sunlight.

If you choose to purchase orchid food for your orchid, make sure to get one with more nitrogen than the other kinds. Vanda orchids require a food that has a higher percent nitrogen due to the fact that they are handing orchids naturally.

Vanda orchids are not particularly susceptible to disease or pests. Although, like all orchids, take care not to over water your Vanda orchid or it might get root rot and that will need to be cut away. These delicate orchids also cannot thrive in cold weather. This is the reason they are normally cultivated in locations with warm, tropical temperatures and climates. Make sure to keep your Vanda orchid out of the cold. It is recommended to learn about the Vanda orchid preferences before attempting to repot it.

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Windows within your home will face one of the four cardinal directions. Being aware of which direction each window falls under will help you correctly place your orchid. A window located on the north or east side of your home will take in less light during the day. Place an orchid with lower light preference in one of these windows. On the other hand, a window facing south or west will draw more intense light throughout the day. If your orchid likes it hot, place it near one of these windows. You should still monitor your orchid, even if you think that you have put it in the right kind of window. Dark green leaves indicate that the light is not bright enough for long enough. Reddish leaves or leaves with black spots are being damaged by too much sun. Combat these problems by moving your orchid to a different window. If the light is too harsh, try to find a window with less light. If the lighting is insufficient, seek out a brighter window.

When checking to see if you need to water your orchid, you should know which of the three watering types it is. Phalaenopsis, Vanda and Ascocenda orchids should have potting media that is very dry before more water is added. Cattleya, Oncidium, Brassia and Dendrobium require a little moisture to remain when the next watering comes around. However, the potting media should still be mostly dry. For Paphiopedilum, Miltonia, Cymbidium and Odontoglossum plants, the potting media should always be moist to the touch. These types will need water more often than the others. If you have followed the care instructions given or those that came with your orchid, you should have a healthy plant. Make sure to also fertilize your orchid and keep an eye out for pest problems. Fertilizer needs vary by species as well. Most pest issues can be solved with a pesticide or by repotting your orchid. Since each of the orchid types have specific requirements, be sure to follow them exactly.

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Vanda coerulea is the scientific name for the species. It may also be called the Blue Vanda or the Autumn Lady’s Tresses. It grows wild from Assam, India to Yunnan, China. Bhatou phul is the name it is known by in Assamese. The Manipuri designation for the orchid is Kwaklei. Speakers of Mizo call it October. And in Sanskrit, it is Vandaar. One naturally occurring hybrid of the Vanda coerulea is combining it with the Vanda bensonii. This hybrid is identified as the Vanda charlesworthii and occurs in Myanmar. It can also be combined with orchid species in other genuses to produce additional hybrids. Eye drops can be made from the Vanda coerulea flower to help combat glaucoma, cataracts and blindness. It may also be used as an active ingredient in anti-aging skin care products.

The sturdy stems of the Vanda coerulea support the growth of masses of blue flowers. The blooms remain open for as long as three weeks. These are considered to be medium to large Vanda orchids. They prefer cold or cool climates for growing. Plants must mature for several years or reach a certain height before they will begin producing blooms. The flowering season lasts from July to December. They grow wild on trees in deciduous forests. Vanda coerulea can be grown in the home. They need good air flow and a cool environment to survive, among other things. Because of the endangerment to the family, wild orchids can no longer be picked unless it is for research purposes. This was set forth by the Forest Act of 1941. It would be a shame if the blue Vanda orchid were to become extinct.

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The area around Pattaya contains many tourist sights, including the Siriporn Orchid Farm and the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden. The Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden puts on an entertainment production in its orchid nursery. The show includes performances by trained chimpanzees and elephants. It is highly entertaining for visitors to the gardens. Or you might consider the Orchid and Flower Garden Tour in Amphoe Kathum Baen and Amphoe Ban Phaeo. It includes tours of the orchards, vegetable plantations, orchard farms and coconut groves that supply the main support for those areas. Amphoe Kathum Baen is the better known for its orchard farms. They are located along Setthakit Road.

One species of orchid that was created in Thailand is the Udorn Sunshine Orchid. Also called the Miss Udorn Sunshine, it was copyrighted by the World Orchid Society in the United Kingdom in 1988. The copyright belongs to the Udorn Sunshine Orchid Farm in Thailand. It is the product of crossing a vanda orchid with a Josephine Van Berrow orchid. Nakhon Pathom is another popular spot for orchid tourists. Bangkok Orchid Farm is in the Amphoe Samphran of the province. Nakhon Chaisi River provides a convenient trail for multiple orchid farms as well. For a truly unique experience, visit the Samphran District Office. There you can purchase a cruise that will travel down the Chinda Canal and the Bangchang Canal. Both run along several orchid farms.

Thailand is an important producer of orchids. The research and creation of new species brings beauty into the world. The conservation of the largest plant family is vital for the continued existence of orchids. There are many of the thousands of orchid species that are considered in danger of becoming extinct. Since their natural habitats are being destroyed by land development, maintaining the flowers on orchid farms has become more crucial. In addition, many families and individuals in Thailand are supported by the orchid farm industry.

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Vanda orchid comes from equatorial regions; therefore it is used to hot temperatures over 64°F (18°C) in daytime and about 10°F less at nighttime. If you can provide it this temperature all the time then it will be in active growth during the entire year. A Vanda orchid will handle short extreme temperature changes as long as they remain short.

vanda orchid will need copious sunlight as well, but in the same time has to be protected from intense midday sun. The plant should enjoy full sunlight in the morning and afternoon, staying in a more shaded location during midday. Yellow leaves are a sign of overexposure to light while dark green leaves are the result of insufficient sunlight. The leaves should be light green.

Also, in its natural conditions, the Vanda orchid is used to powerful air movement, so you will have to provide this as well. Of course I don’t think the wind blows thru your houses so you will need to improvise using a fan. If there are moments when the temperature goes under the recommended limit, then stop providing air movement until the temperatures goes back to normal values.

Vanda is one of the orchid species that likes a very high level of humidity, somewhere near 80%. On the other hand Vanda is sensitive to over-watering so it is a tricky balance. Don’t water the plant in the afternoon, don’t water it for 2-3 weeks after it blooms, and don’t water it until the potting medium completely dries.

Vanda plants are heavy feeders, so you will have to feed the plant on a weekly basis during its growth season.   Also it must be flushed thoroughly with plain water every week to remove built-up salts. It is recommended to use a Potassium Fertilizer for one month between September and October. This will help the roots to strengthen. From November to June feed the orchid once a month, that is kind of different from other orchid types that don’t need feeding at all during winter.

Vanda orchids don’t enjoy being repotted but you will have to do this once every three years. Also chose a pot big enough to sustain another 3 years of growth, especially because Vanda orchid grows more laterally then vertically.

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Light is essential for each orchid. In fact insufficient light is the most widely known cause for an orchid not blooming. There are orchid species that have their provenience from equatorial regions, like Vanda or Cattleya that are naturally used with a lot of sunlight. Even so, direct sunlight is not indicated, especially during midday. It is better to have the orchid plant positioned on a west-facing window. But there are orchid types that naturally live in forests and are used to a lot of shade. So for them to correctly adapt to artificial conditions, an east-facing window is indicated. Green orchid leaves will suggest that the plant doesn’t get enough light, while yellow leaves are a sign of over-exposure to sunlight. If you see brown patches on leaves you must reduce the sunlight.

You should also check what temperature is ideal for your type of orchid, as there are significant differences from one orchid type to another. Temperatures between 65°F(18°C) and 75°F(24°C) at daytime are perfect for a Cattleya orchid, 70°F (21°c)  and 85°F (30°C) for a Phalenopsis orchid while Masdevalias does not need temperatures higher than 70°F (21°C). At night the temperature should be about 10-15 °F lower than during daytime.

Watering is another essential factor in orchid caring. Make sure you water early in the day, once every 5-7 days depending on orchid type and climatic conditions, and that the water temperature is close to room temperature. You should never overwater the orchid; otherwise the leaves will get damaged and will become yellow. Many make this mistake, damage from overwatering being the most important cause in orchid diseases. Stop watering for a few weeks if this happens.

The orchid must have a humidity of 50-70%, but again, depending on temperature this can change. There are orchid types that live near the Equator like Vanda that needs 80% humidity. Because this level is higher than the one found in homes, you should consider using artificial methods to increase the humidity level.

Orchid food has also an important role in caring for orchids. You must provide your orchid nutriments that contain potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus.  Also at every 2 years the orchid must be repotted because the potting mix will start to decompose, compress, and become denser and the orchid roots will not have enough access to air.

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There are two different orchid types that will need different ways of growing in your greenhouse. There are terrestrial orchids that grow in the ground, and in this case you will have to keep them in pots or you can build an orchid bed. No matter what you choose, you will have to use terrestrial orchid mix in favor of garden soil. The second orchid types are Epiphytic orchids that normally grow on trees or on other plants. It would be very difficult to grow other plants as well in your greenhouse just to provide support for the orchids, so a good solution is to use a piece of branch from another plant as support on which the orchid must be anchored. The good thing is that the orchid will easily adapt to this kind of situation.    

Orchids like a lot of sunlight, but don’t like to be directly exposed to it. They also like shade but again within certain limits. It is a tricky balance. In natural conditions the orchid plants are protected by trees but here you will have to artificially provide them some shade. An ideal solution is to cover the roof with polycarbonate material. Hopefully you don’t live in a place covered by clouds all year long because then you will also have to use artificial light. Of course your greenhouse will have to be equipped with heating system, irrigation system and powerful vents.

Another advantage in front of an outdoor orchid farm besides wheatear control is that you won’t have too much to deal with pests so having an orchid farm in a green house might be a good solution.

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