What's Blooming

Blue Vanda (Vanda coerulea)

Orchid Haven, Cloud Forest

It is often said that true sky-blue can only be found of the cultivated orchids in the blooms of the blue vanda (Vanda coerulea). The visual perception of the colour blue is influenced by how our eyes process colours. Human vision is less sensitive to violet and near-ultraviolet light, which can cause blue and purple colours to blend. As a result, the "blue" in orchids often includes shades of purple, depending on how each person’s vision perceives and interprets it. While famed for its blue flowers, blue vanda blooms also may be found in shades of white, pink, lavender, and deep purple.

Additionally, the blue vanda contributes its signature tessellated tepal (sepal and petal) pattern to its progeny—a trait that , in wild-collected specimens, appears as a faint network of lines over a lighter background. However, in hybrids, this pattern emerges more boldly, with a striking lattice of darker lines against a near-white background. Cultivated forms in Thailand exhibit especially pronounced tessellation. While this pattern may fade in secondary and tertiary hybrids, it can subtly reappear even several generations removed from its Vanda coerulea ancestor. The breathtaking blues of Vanda hybrids also owe much of their brilliance to the selective breeding of Vanda coerulea, a species that has consistently passed on its prized traits to its hybrid offspring.

As a species, the blue vanda is well-suited to cooler conditions and able to withstand temperature as low as 12°C, making it challenging to cultivate in low-altitude tropical and subtropical regions. However, many interspecific and intergeneric hybrids of the blue vanda have been developed to thrive in a wider range of temperatures than the original species, making them more adaptable for growers across various climates, including tropical Singapore.

Early orchid hybridisers saw immense potential in Vanda coerulea, even surpassing the highly regarded Vanda sanderiana. As a parent plant, it has contributed significantly to modern Vanda hybrids, enhancing flower size, flower number, vigour, cold tolerance, inflorescence lengths, and its signature tessellated colour patterns.

Visit the Orchids of the Land of Smiles display at Orchid Haven in the Cloud Forest conservatory and marvel at the blue vanda and its stunning hybrids, showcasing their breathtaking hues and intricate patterns while they are in peak bloom!

This article is part of our What's Blooming series.