Trudelia alpinaThis wonderful Vanda is now blooming again. I bought this as a seedling in 2009 and it first bloomed last September. The very best thing about this orchid is that the flowers last fo such a long time, well over two months. The pendant flowers measure about 2 cm wide presented on a one to three flowered inflorescence. It really got a boost hanging outside last summer, developing the beginnings of six flower spikes. Only two bloomed out that fall, but all of the rest remained green and now they seem to become active again and more are forming. I can only imagine how amazing it would be if they would decide to bloom all at once.

Vanda alpina, or as it says on my name tag Trudelia, is a miniature intermediate to cool growing epiphyte from Himalaya to Southern Yunnan in China. The species is often mislabeled and often Vanda alpina plants actually turn out to be Vanda cristata. The difference between the two is that V cristata has horns on the apex of the lip and V alpina does not. I grow it intermediate in a wood basket hanging in the window under rather bright light.

Vanda alpina (Lindl.) Lindl., Fol. Orchid. 4: 10 (1853). Synonym: Trudelia alpina (Lindl.) Garay, Orchid Digest 50: 76 (1986).

Trudelia alpinaTrudelia alpinaTrudelia alpina