More Vandas in So Cal

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

I left a thread about growing vandas outdoors here in coastal So California. I mentioned one that I bought from Smiley's Orchids in Florida in February, a cross of V Manuvadee and Mimi Palmer. Was shipped to me in bloom and I've attached a copy of the foto of those blooms taken by the seller, seem to have lost the picture I took once it got here. Was exactly as it is in the picture, well plus a couple of weeks on it, so I'm looking forward to seeing it bloom after it's gotten settled in here in CA :-)

Hopefully will find out if it blooms true to form, I've been growing it in a large vase since it arrived in March and it's now throwing off an inflorescence... will keep you all posted as it develops and we'll see how it looks when it blooms.

The only thing making me wonder is whether or not it might be tolerant of cooler growing temps such that I could put it in a basket and hang it out doors here in So Cal. I know that might be possible with V. Manuvadee, which is at least 50% V. coerulea, not sure what V. Mimi Palmer does to the mix.

The flowers in February:



The inflo as of 9-22-09:

[mollycart1]

Congrats on the new spike!!! I love Smiley's Orchids. BTW, you can contact Smiley directly and get the plants you are looking for. Those plants are much larger.

[neb]

you don't need to worry about the temps if it is above 60 then you should be fine just make sure the have plenty of sunlight and air movement

[mjHuntingtonBeach]

Oh, I don't have any worries about when temps are 60 and above. But in the winters here, daytime highs are in the 50-60 range (with jumps into the 70-90's on occasion), and lows can be in the mid-high 40's for about a month (with maybe one or two brief frosts). I have heard that most Vanda's with a large percentage of Vanda coerulea can handle that for a month or so but I think this vanda is only about 25-35% coerulea from V. Manuvadee, and I'm pretty sure V. Mimi Palmer is half V. Tesselata and half V. Tan Chay Yan (uncertain parentage, possibly including V. derei, E. Sanderiana, and another hybrid).

I'm just hoping the deep purplish blue coloring indicates it takes after the V. coerulea side of the family.