Orchid Wanda is an epiphytic plant native to South Asia. It is characterized by the presence of a powerful root system and large bright flowers. Wanda is a perennial genus and belongs to the Orchid family. The plant is great for breeding at home.
Wanda Description
Orchid Wanda - a specific genus. Grows up to 2 m, dark green leaves are located opposite each other and can reach 90 cm. High peduncles bring an average of 15 buds. Various colors are found, including orange, blue, white and others. The flowers reach 5-12 cm. Long roots have a gray-green hue. Blooms twice a year with proper care. There is no rest period.
Popular Wanda Orchid Varieties
Orchid Wanda has many different varieties, each of which is characterized by its size and color of the flowers.
| Grade | Description | Flower | Leaves |
| Blue | Straight stalk 1 m high. Peduncle - 80 cm. | 7-12 violet-white. In diameter - 10 cm. The lip is small, almost imperceptible. Pleasant aroma. | Oval, elongated, arranged densely. |
| Tricolor | It can reach 1.5 m. | Size 7 cm, up to 10 colorful flowers. Wavy shape. White petals with red spots, pink lip. | Rough, about 40 cm. |
| Sander | 60-120 cm in height. Peduncles reach 50 cm. | 5-10 pieces, yellow, pink or white. Multi-colored motley petals with a double monophonic lip. | Bifurcate towards the end. |
| Chess | 70-100 cm. | 12 large flowers, the color is often beige or brown. The lip is bright purple. Pleasant aroma. | Greenish, hide a long stalk. |
| Grumpy | 150-200 cm. | 5-6 pinkish buds 12 cm in diameter. On the purple lip there are many red spots, at the base it has a burgundy hue. | Cylindrical, densely located along the entire length of the stem. |
| Norbert Alfonso | 80-90 cm. Medium peduncles. | 10-15 large, petals painted pink. Lip burgundy, wrapped in a kind of tube. | Rounded pointed. |
| Javier | 35-50 cm. The stem is low. | 10-12 medium flowers. The lip and petals are snow-white, which is exclusively for the genus Wanda. | Dense rows of dark green leaves around the edges. |
| Rothschild | 80-100 cm. Peduncles up to 60 cm. | 15-18 pieces, Gray purple petals with a dark short lip. Diameter - 6 cm. | Rough, the tips are bifurcated, like Sander’s. |
Wanda Growing Methods
Given the structural features of the root system and the conditions of the Vanda’s orchid, there are three ways in which the flower feels comfortable.
Pot
You will need a large transparent plastic or clay container. The root system does not have to be crowded.
At the bottom of the pot, several holes must be made to allow air circulation. The soil should contain pine bark, polystyrene, peat and charcoal. Such a substrate is sold in stores, but it can also be prepared at home.
Glass cylindrical vase
Only the root will be in the vase, because the upper part of the flower needs constant bright light. To water the orchid, you need to fill the vessel along the walls until the root system is completely immersed in water. After 30 minutes, drain the water. Soil in this case is not required. Thus, Wanda organically fits into the interior.
Hanging baskets
There are also special hanging baskets for this kind of orchid. In them, the plant is located so that the entire root system is free, that is, outside the container. The method is popular because of the ease of watering the plant: you need to completely spray the flower about 2 times a week. In the summer you should do this every day.
Wanda orchid care at home
In order for the Vanda orchid to grow healthy and delight with its bright flowers, it must be properly looked after.
| Parameter | Conditions |
| Lighting | Needs bright light, but do not place the plant in direct sunlight. If the excess of the sun affects the flower, it is covered with tulle fabric. In winter, phytolamps are used for additional lighting. |
| Location | They are placed on the south or south-west side (where there is more light). |
| Temperature | In spring and summer: + 19 ... +28 ° С. Winter-fall: + 16 ... +21 ° С. At a lower plant dies. Orchid can maintain vitality up to +35 ° C with regular moisture. |
| Humidity | Optimal: 60-80%. With increasing ambient temperature, increase accordingly. |
| The soil | A special soil mixture is prepared consisting of peat, humus, sphagnum moss and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1: 0.5. Top soil is sprinkled with chopped coniferous bark, charcoal or polystyrene crumb. |
| Top dressing | Fertilizers for orchids. Prepare a solution with a concentration of half less than the recommended dose. Once a month, it is fed with soluble fertilizer for indoor plants in a dosage reduced in 2 times. |
| Transfer | Does not need. It adapts for a long time and may die. But it is permissible with depletion of the substrate (every 4 years), diseases or lack of space in the pot. Transplanted in early spring. |
| Watering | In spring and summer, during active flowering, maintain constant soil moisture. In winter, as the substrate dries. |
| Pruning | Does not need. When pests appear, carefully cut the affected parts of the plant. After flowering, the dried flower stalk is cut off. |
Features of watering
Orchid Wanda is very demanding, so the plant is watered early in the morning. There are several ways to moisten a flower.
The most suitable is a warm shower. The orchid is placed in a large container (bath or basin) and watered with a shower using water + 28 ... +35 ° C. When the roots become dark green, the plant is transferred to another container for half an hour, so that all the glass water. Before returning the orchid to the pot, the leaves are wiped with a rag to remove excess moisture.
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Another method is immersion. It is used only for healthy flowers. A container with an orchid is completely immersed in water and kept there for 30-40 seconds. Then another 20-40 minutes are waiting for the glass water. In this way, watered no more than 1 time in 3 days.
When soaking, the roots of Wanda are placed in water for 30-160 minutes. Thus, the orchid drinks, after which it does not need watering for another 4 days. Citric acid is also sprinkled into the liquid to remove harmful carbonates.
Watering can is characteristic for watering in a pot. Water is poured along the edges of the container until the substrate is completely saturated and excess liquid appears on the pan. After that, change the pallet to already dried out and wipe the leaves of the flower.
Watering can be replaced by spraying from a spray bottle, especially if the orchid is grown in a hanging basket. The plant is thoroughly moistened, including flowers and roots. Especially this method is good in the hot season, when air humidity becomes minimal.
Features of caring for a vanda orchid during flowering
At Vanda, beautiful bright buds bloom in an amount of at least 5. For this to happen, you need to provide the plant with proper care.
| Parameter | Condition |
| Location | It is better not to change, the orchid does not have time to adapt to new conditions and discards buds. |
| Pot | The roots of the orchid should always be in the light, so it is necessary to use a transparent container. |
| Lighting | Needs bright and plentiful. If there is insufficient light (especially in winter), you need to turn on the phytolamp. |
| Temperature | Do not exceed +22 ° C. On average: + 18 ... +22 ° С. Swings are good for flowering. It is also necessary to ventilate the flower every day. |
| The soil | The substrate must be nutritious, otherwise the orchids will not have enough strength for flowering. It is better to transplant in a new soil in the spring. |
| Top dressing | Phosphorus fertilizers are great for stimulating the development of buds. You can also use potassium, adding fertilizer based on it directly to the soil. |
Features after flowering
When flowering ends, the dried flower stalk is removed with a disinfected tool. The place of cut is treated with charcoal, wax or cinnamon. After flowering, watering can be reduced, and potassium top dressing should be eliminated altogether. With proper care, the next flowering will be in about six months.
Wanda breeding methods
Most often, Vanda's orchid is propagated at home by children, that is, processes. They appear only on mature plants. Moreover, it is necessary to ensure that at the time of separation the children have their own root system, and in size reach more than 5 cm.
- The baby is separated from the main orchid with a disinfected knife.
- The slice is treated with coal.
- The processes are placed in small containers filled with a pre-prepared substrate.
- Seedlings are watered once a week for a month.
- When the orchid begins to increase in size, the greenhouse conditions are created for the shoots, under which the humidity should not fall below 80%.
There is another way, using the upper shoots.
- On the stem, side shoots with formed aerial roots are cut.
- A special substrate is prepared from pieces of moss, fern, bark and charcoal.
- Slices are covered with a thin layer of beeswax.
- The first 3 days are carefully watered by shoots placed in the prepared soil.
- Then watering is reduced to 1 time per week.
- When the seedlings grow to 15 cm, Vanda is transplanted into a standard container.
Mistakes When Growing A Wanda Orchid
| Manifestation | Cause | Elimination |
| Does not bloom. | Lack of light, improper temperature. | Ventilate more often, make sure that there are daily temperature drops, exclude nitrogen fertilizers. |
| The flower stalk perishes. | Low humidity, lack of watering, pests. | Put a glass of water next to the orchid, increase the frequency of spraying. Take pest control measures. |
| The buds are dropping. | Unsuccessful transplantation, infection by insects, dry soil, relocation. | Water more often, make sure that the plant does not dry out. Use special insecticides to control pests, restore comfortable conditions for orchids. |
| Leaves turn yellow and dry. | Lack of nutrients, exposure to direct rays, dry and hot air. | Water once every two days until the leaves are restored. Shade the orchid with a cloth or paper. |
| Light transparent spots on the leaves. | The plant has a burn, due to a long interaction with direct sunlight. | Remove the plant from the light and cover with gauze. Also spray the leaves every 3-4 days. |
| The roots rot. | Too hard soil, frequent watering, fungal infections. | Soften the substrate with trace elements and bark. It is better to treat an orchid from a fungus with a special medicine - Physan. Water the next 2 months no more than 1 time per week. |
| Leaves fade. | Low humidity and cold air, pests. | Increase humidity to 70%, bring the temperature back to normal (+ 19 ... +28 ° С). |
Pests, vanda diseases and methods of dealing with them
| Manifestation | Cause | Elimination method |
| Round black marks appear on the leaves along the entire length. | Fungal affection. | Treat infected areas with fungicide. Reduce the frequency of irrigation to 1 time per week, maintain a constant temperature of + 23 ... +25 ° C. Cover with a cloth, avoid bright light. |
| The horse system rots, becomes black and dies. The stem with leaves dries. | Bacterial rot. | Remove the infected areas, cover the sections with phytosporin. Replace the soil and disinfect the container. Antibiotics (tetracycline) are also effective in a proportion of 1 gram per liter. |
| Black dots protrude on the outside of the leaf; the stem may become covered with brown lines. | Viral infection. | It is impossible to cure completely. You should get rid of the infected plant so as not to spread the infection. |
| Small green insects appear throughout the orchid. The stems and leaves wither, the plant dies. | Aphid. | Increase air humidity, treat the flower with soapy water or tincture of lemon peel. Special intestinal preparations (Intavir, Actofit) are best suited for pest control. |
| Small beige pests on leaves, peduncles, buds and stems. White plaque and wax deposits. Wanda is fading. | Mealybug. | Remove growths, affected parts of the plant. Treat the bulb with an alcohol solution, remove parasites. Actara, Mospilan, Actellik, Calypso are great for fighting. |
| Small voids appear on the leaves and stem. Yellow spots appear, shoots die off. | Shield. | A solution of soap and alcohol, a tincture of fern and such chemicals as Permethrin, Bi 58, Phosphamide, Methyl mercaptophos will help get rid of the pest. |
