Help! Scorching Vandas!!

I recently got a bunch of new vandaceous plants (now that I'm confident with vase culture I can't seem to stop buying them)... and unfortunately I failed to take into consideration the fact that the sun is much stronger in the winter in my grow area. However, I have a Mokara and an Aranda on my sunniest windowsill, and they get blasted with full sun for about 75% of the day. They are growing like gangbusters and SUPER happy!

So when I acquired my Ascocenda Princess Mikasa, I gave it a couple of days to adjust to my conditions and then placed it next to the Mokara and the Aranda. After the first day I noticed some yellow splotches on the leaves, so I moved it back from the window and put it on a shelf where it would get bright indirect light, with some direct sun in the late afternoon. The next day I noticed purple splotches on the leaves. I moved it back from the window even further, while still keeping it in the general sun-lovers' area. The next day it was looking worse, so I put it next to a phal that just gets kissed by the sun a little in the morning. When I went to give it its morning soak today, I encountered THIS disaster:



The poor plant is a mess. Could this damage have all happened in the first couple of days when it was getting the most sun, but just taken a little while to show up? Because I can't imagine it was getting this burnt where it was yesterday. Does sunburn take a couple of days to fully develop?

Anyway, I'm not sure what to do with it now. I've never had a sun-lover get this burnt. Do I keep it in the shade for a while to let it recover? WILL it recover? I feel just awful about this...how, oh HOW did I let this happen to my poor Princess?


So, besides that, I have another dilemma...

How do I arrange my other new acquisitions so they don't fry too?
I just got a Vanda (Euanthe) Sanderiana var alba, an Ascf Cherry Blossom 'Carmela' (I'm not even sure what "Ascf." stands for...it was a "bargain pack" that I bought mostly for the Sanderiana), and a Vandachostylis Colmarie 'Carmela.'

Could someone please tell me which of these plants likes the most sun, and which might need to be moved back from the window? I don't want to risk the "trial and error" approach, since my poor Mikasa looks like it's been vacationing in my oven.

I REALLY want that Sanderiana to do well...I've been hankering after that plant or a long time, and I've read that even a slight problem can set the plant back by 2-3 YEARS. Do you think I could put it next to my Vanda Pachera Delight (on another sunny windowsill)? The Pachera Delight seems happy.

Anyway, please, please help me figure out where to place these plants. I don't understand why my Mokara and Aranda are absolutely flourishing in the punishing sun, while just a couple of days in the sun practically destroyed my Asco.

Thanks, friends! Vanda experts, I really need you on this one!!

My suggestion, find the baggie and take it back to the store. If that is a fungal or bacterial infection it can infect other plants merely by touching or dripping water from the bad leaf to one of your healthy plants. I burn plants on a regular basis and usually they turn black where they burn. When I see brown I cut it off and rub cinnamon on the cut. Your plant looks as if it may be too far gone and with it being new the store will take it back usually. I used to "rescue" plants, but when it's rot I take them back as it is so difficult to irradicate. If you want to try and save it and have physan on hand, i'd suggest spraying or soaking it very well, place in front of a fan so it will dry quickly and then place it in a well shaded spot to recover for a month or two. Vanda's can act as if they are getting better and then die suddenly a month or two later. Also; keep in mind Ascocenda don't like as much sun as Aranda. They are bred for less sun and you would need to take a couple weeks to move into higher sun after it recovers. Best of luck if you keep it....

As a very rough guide Vandaceous orchids with Arachnis and terete vandas (Papilionanthe) in their parentage can tolerate very high light to even full sun in the tropics. Other vandaceous especially the strap-leaf vandas and Ascocendas would need around 50% shade. Your Aranda and Mokara would fall into the first category, while the others would be in the second category and would appreciate filtered sunlight. Please note that my suggestions apply only to our tropical conditions where we grow outdoors 24/7. I'm sure others with similar climatic and cultural conditions would be able to give better advice.

this is my 2 cents, i think Connie gave you good advice , when you said purple I thought that it could be cold or sun damage. good luck I admire your tenacity at trying this indoors, it's hard enough outdoors.