What is this plant?

[valb561]

I received 2 of these plants from someone who has a 10 ft. one growing on the side of a large ficus tree. She has no idea what they are, but thinks it's an orchid of some type & says it gets light lilac flowers. It grows without medium with roots emerging from the nodes.

[valb561]

My daughter (jptg7781) may have found a starting place to look....Vanda Miss Joaquim..........
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids lists this plant as a "papilionanthe teres"
papilionanthe with tribe of vandeae
..species was previously divided between Aerides & Vanda
..species are usually known as terete vandas in cultivation because of their terete leaves, unlike the flat leaves of true vandas
..plants readily propagate by tip cuttings
..tend to flower periodically throughout the year

[Gin]

She is probably right .
I am not familiar with terete Vandas , have only seen one and it was more dead than alive . Where I am they would never bloom . Nice looking plants , I finally saw healthy ones Gin

[ewbie]

hi! can anyone also help me identify this one? what type so i could do some research on how to take care of it. i just adopted this from someone.
thanks in advance

[bench72]

Hi Val, that sure does look like one of the terete Vandas. Hard to know which one though because they have also hybridised this group to death..... high light levels a plus for these plants.

and, Ewbie, if the flowers on those go down through the bottom, then it could be standhopea...

cheers
tim

[ewbie]

this hasn't bloomed since my worker bought it 6 months ago. yikes! if it bloom at the bottom maybe putting it in a pot is not a good idea.
is there any site where i could read about it?
thanks so much!

[bench72]

well, try googling for stanhopeas... many a times people have this and it gets put into a normal pot and the plants try to flower but the spikes go down into the compost and cannot go past the pots.

if it is a stanhopea, then put it in a wire basket lined with coco fibre... don't use husks or the spikes cannot push through it either.

I just hope I'm on the right track, coz it also looks like it could be some type of coelogyne heheheh

[ewbie]

thanks bench72! thank you so much! am excited already since you guys gave me encouragement when you commented that my dendro are happy on another forum!

[Sue]

Actually, Tim, I'm not so sure that's a Stan. The leaf shape is right . . . but the bulb shape is off. Too smooth and elongated. The bulbs actually look like the larger Bulbophyllum, but of course the leaf is way wrong for a Bulbo.

How big are the bulbs? Maybe a width in cm. might help us identify?

At any rate, with thin roots like that, you're likely to do well by potting in moisture retentive media. So, for example, a wood slat basket packet with spagh would do well, and would accomodate a descending inflorescence, in case it is indeed a Stan.

Edit:
Just reread: I missed the mention of Coelogyne. That is, indeed, a good call – it looks very much like a Coel. to me. I still recommend spagh in a basket.

[ewbie]

pardon me for my ignorance...but what is coelogyne?

actually the bulbs are underground the medium when he potted it 6mos ago. only the leaf is exposed so i just don't know if there's any effect in the growth of the bulb.

i'll try to post the measurement of the bulb tomorrow. thanks!