My First Vanda Bloom Princess Mikasa Blue

[Ocelaris]

whew... thanks! I thought that's what you meant, but I just have never seen it... not that I'm that experienced, but vandaceous species particularly are new.

[susiep]

Ocelaris, your set up is awsome! I am new to OB and I am amazed at all of the members that grow orchids indoors. And with such great results! I live in south Fla and keep them outside. I am the "orchid-nut" in my neighborhood, so I acquire orchids when people move or get tired of looking at them without flowers. Just last week I was given a Princess Mikasa Blue. It has just started sending out a spike. I really appreciate your pictures because I had no idea what the flowers would look like. They are beautiful! I like what you are doing with the plastic pots. It seems to keep the roots contained. My vandas are insane! Roots every where. They take up about 4 times the space other kinds of orchids do. But they are forgiven when they bloom. Right?

[shams]

I don't mind my vanda roots growing everywhere. If I can keep my vandas hanging in baskets, I'll be a happy happy camper I dunno... something about all those root structures is just neat to look at.

Your going to love your Princess Mikasa Susie. I love the intensity of the flowers on them. In fact... I love vandas so much, I bought 4 in the span of a week Only have pictures of Princess Mikasa and Ken Kone in my gallery so far.... Robert's Delight and Lilac Blossom are the newer ones and currently in spike. My crappy little camera can't take good enough pictures

[Grandma M]

I am also a Vanda nut. I have an order in with EOM for vandas but our weather (Michigan)is so cold they are waiting to ship them. I'm getting anxious for them.....and tired of winter. At the rate I am going I will need another pipe rack if I don't stop falling in love with more of them.

Shams, I'm with you. I am so facinated with the way the roots grow. The flowers are great but even just the plant alone is gorgeous.

[Ocelaris]

Yes, I'm a fan of the roots, they're ugly in most people's eyes, "wierd alien roots!" as some have said they look like, but it's just a part of the plant which lets me know it's happy!

My P Mikasa 'Pink' bloomed a week after, and although much larger and had more vigorous roots, didn't have as many flowers... strange. But every 3 months a bloom is great... very advantageous roots on the P Mikasa

[susiep]

My Princess Mikasa bloomed today, too. Very pretty blueish purple. It looks a lot like yours, however the flowers are only 5cm across. Maybe because it is a young plant.

[Ocelaris]

I'm interested to know how long a popular breed takes to become a dominant member of our hobby gardens? For example Princess Mikasa seems to be a very popular plant now, how long do you suppose it took for people to flask the original into a million plants, and how long did it take for those to mature to the point where everyone has one! It is a lovely plant, very easy and floriferous (sp? Flowerlicious?). I just wonder what the time frame is for these sorts of popular breeds from birth to awards to popularization.

Another good example is Sharry Baby, I wonder how long that has been around and/or when it was first bred...

[Ocelaris]

Here are some more of my Princess Twins The last one is a Gordon Dillon I just got, will fit better in my new tank!

[shams]

wow! so pretty!

[Ocelaris]

Thanks, the blues were kinda on their way out, they had been in bloom for ~2 weeks? Maybe 3? I forget, but they pinks were just in peak, but the blues today are pretty much whithered but the pinks are still going strong.