The Success of Perr. Bangkok Sunset
Perreiraara Bangkok Sunset is a colorful vandaceous hybrid which succeeds nearly everywhere. Its success in southern shade houses, northern greenhouses and window sills, and under lights is attributable to its favorable plant architecture. The compact growth habit with broad, thick set leaves is an inheritance of the positive vegetative characteristics of its three ancestral species: Aerides houlletiana, Rhychostylis coelestis, and Vanda flabellata. Rhy. coelestis which ranges in color from blue to pink to white, is a relatively low light, compact plant with thick set leaves. Rhychostylis coelestis seedlings will bloom for the first time on plants which are 2” tall and 4” across. Crossed to V. flabellata, Rhy. coelestis yields Vandachostylis Thai Noi, a compact, free flowering, hybrid with a large colorful lip. Vanda flabellata contributes more than its lip color to this vigorous hybrid. The broad extremely flat leaves of this miniature Vanda, are exceptionally efficient light gatherers and confer this quality to its progeny making them well suited for lower light environments.
When Van. Thai Noi was crossed to Aer. houlletiana whose tolerance of low light is evident in its soft foliage, the versatile hybrid Perr. Bangkok Sunset was created. The broad flat leaves of Aer. houlletiana are spaced fairly far apart but this disadvantage was overcome by the compact vegetative habits of the other two species which also contributed their desirable upright spiking habit. Aerides houlletiana’s golden yellow color shines through this delightful miniature hybrid.
Not surprisingly, with such an array of low light miniatures in its background, Perr. Bangkok Sunset is itself parenting offspring that are blooming on plants with barely 2” of stem as we discovered in Thailand with the hybrid between it and V. Wilas.
Even crossed to the exceptional tall Renanthera storiei, Perr. Bangkok Sunset has yielded a compact free flowering brilliantly colored hybrid. The Thais are to be commended for their work with this hybrid. We at Motes Orchids are also committed to utilizing this versatile hybrid in new ways.
Choosing the right parents, and careful analysis of the breeding histories of various species is the key to creating compact low light hybrids, a major goal at Motes Orchids. The three species that makeup Perr. Bangkok Sunset are important elements in implementing this goal. They and several other diminutive species appear frequently in our hybrids, as we create delightful miniatures that can be enjoyed by all growers nearly everywhere.
Care of Papilionandas (Papiliovandas) aka "1/4 Terete Vandas"
Now that the “terete vandas” have been placed in their own genus Papilioanthe,the plants which have long been called semi-terete and ¼ terete vandas are now properly Papilionanda (Papiliovanda). The ancestral species of Papilioanthe are among the most sun loving of orchids inhabiting in nature tropical mangrove swamps and other seaside locales. When crossed to strap leaf vandas, Papilioanthe confers this sun tolerance on its progeny. Papilionandas (Papiliovandas) will thrive in full tropical sun and are great garden plants for South Florida.
Once adapted to full sun, papilionandas (papiliovandas) will flower abundantly 3,4 or even more times per year. Adaptation best takes place gradually. Plants can be placed in plastic pots with cypress mulch and a time release fertilizer. The pots should be positioned where they will receive a few hours of direct sunlight at first, then, gradually moved to a brighter and a brighter location until they are in full sun. Another strategy is to construct a bed in full sun using cypress mulch and provide some shade (palm fronds or such) which can be gradually removed as the plants harden and acclimatize.
Papilionandas (Papiliovandas) are nearly the ideal orchid for naturalizing on palm trees as the palm canopy provides shade from the mid day sun but allows abundant morning and afternoon light to stimulate bloom. Care should be taken that the crown of the Papilionanda (Papiliovanda) is set at a slight angle off the palm trunk, lest it be shaded by the trunk and be reluctant to bloom. Like vandas, papilionandas (papiliovandas) require light from both sides to bloom well.
Although well established papilionandas (papiliovandas) tolerate drought well, they thrive with abundant water and fertilizer. Daily watering is excellent but twice daily is often even better. Low phosphorus liquid fertilizer weekly is recommended. Plants in beds or pots can receive time release fertilizer or even dried sheep manure.
These colorful easy orchids should be in every South Florida yard! You can find out more and order yours by clicking here.
December in Your Orchid Collection
- Average high: 77.5
- Average low: 62.2
- Average mean: 69.9
- Average rainfall: 2.18"
Excerpted from Florida Orchid Growing: Month by Month by Martin Motes. All rights reserved.
December marks the beginning of the serious dry season in South Florida. While this additional dryness provides relief from the autumnal rains that can bring so many fungal problems, December is also the month of shortest day lengths. This contracted period of light, on the contrary, reduces severely the drying potential for our plants. Nature thus both gives and takes away from us in December. We must make sure, therefore, that we do not aid the dark side of the force by improper watering. In December, above all, one must stick strictly to the two cardinal principles of orchid watering: water early in the day so your plants have as many hours as possible to dry, and water heavily when you water, allowing longer intervals between watering to dry plants thoroughly. This practice maximizes the benefit of the dryer air of December and minimizes the adverse effect of the shorter day lengths.
When nature has delivered a light overnight or early morning rain as she so often does in December at the leading edge of a cold front, add to her efforts by watering thoroughly that same morning and skip out watering for an extra several days afterward. With this method you can use the general dryness of December to give yourself much of the advantage of a greenhouse in terms of controlling watering. As in all aspects of orchid culture, keen observation is the key to success. In cooler weather your plants need much less water. Moreover cool air even at the same relative humidity, strips less water from your plants because cool air has less water holding capability. Always be sure that your plants really need water before you roll out the hose in December. Remember to use at least one of the standard tests for dryness: the finger dug slightly into the media test or the newly sharpened pencil coming dry like a knife from a well cooked custard, or test by hefting a pot that you know the weight of, both wet and dry and be sure that it has attained sufficient lightness. When you are sure they are dry, water them until you are sure they are very wet, then let the drying air of December do its magic to ward off leaf spotting diseases.
Himalayan dendrobiums of the nobile and Callista (D. aggregatum, chrysotoxum, etc.) Sections require no additional water (beyond rain) in December. Remember, those of you who water (or, even worse, fertilize) these dendrobiums in December, will be punished by having your flowers taken away in the Spring. Some growers who have the space, isolate these dendrobiums along with other types that want hard drying such as Catasetum, Cycnoches, Mormodes, and Calanthe. Another strategy is to hang these plants high or at the edges of the collection reminding oneself to neglect them and also to avoid watering them by mistake. Some growers achieve the same result effect by turning the pots of these genera on their side in November or December, to avoid catching water from whatever source. Plants of some of these genera that have finished flowering can even be removed from their pots and stripped to bare roots in anticipation of re-potting them in new media when they break growth in the spring.
Most sympodial orchids are resting in December and require less fertilizer. Biweekly or even monthly applications of a balanced fertilizer or 15-515 are still desirable. Nitrate nitrogen is the most readily absorbed in cooler weather; therefore at least one more application of the potassium nitrate/magnesium sulphate (at 1tbs. each per gal.) recommended in November is still a good idea. It’s good stuff! Vandas, Phalaenopsis and other monopodial orchids should be fertilized right through the winter although both the amount of fertilizer and the frequency of application can be reduced. Remember reddening of the foliage is not natural, nor is it a response to the cold per se but rather a symptom of nutritional deficiency. The plants are asking for more potassium and magnesium. Give them the groceries.
December can be cold. Frost has occurred in the first week of the month and unforgettably, the coldest temperatures ever recorded in South Florida were registered on December 25, 1989. If you haven’t taken some of the precautions outlined in the November Newsletter, get busy! Keep a close eye on the forecasts during this volatile month.
Remember that hard cane dendrobiums of the sections Spathulata and Phalaenanthe are the most sensitive of commonly cultivated orchids. They resent temperature much below 60 degrees F. Phalaenopsis are next most sensitive, then vandas. Protect all these genera more carefully.
If you are getting a jump on Spring potting chores by repotting sympodial orchids that have finished blooming, it is particularly important that you take extra care in securing them in their containers. These plants may not be sending out new roots for several months, enough time for them to be shaken loose from insufficient staking. Passing cold fronts can bring brisk winds in December. When new roots start to form on insufficiently secured plants, wind moves the plant and chafes the new root tips off. Improperly secured plants are never able to root properly and slowly pine away. If you love them you must tie them up, tie them down. This is also especially true of mass produced orchids sold in Home Depot, K Mart etc. The soft, peat based media used to grow these commercially produced plants in the controlled environment of a greenhouse often does not provide sufficient purchase to secure the plants in the rough and tumble of a South Florida orchid collection buffeted by harsh winter winds. You probably should have already re-potted these into more durable medium but until you do, tie ‘em up!
Keep those vandas, phalaenopsis and hard cane dendrobiums as warm as you can. Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza!
Florida Orchid Growing Part 2: Florida Vanda Growing
This is a rough version of this video. It has been reshot and an improved version will be released.