Annual Auction Scheduled for Saturday, March 1, 2008 at Holiday Inn Express.
2 PM
JB Tay
Awards Judging Secretary, Orchid Society of South East Asia, Singapore
Papilionanthe generally require very high light (preferably full sun), good aeration, high humidity, and lots of fertilizer in order to achieve good growth and profuse flowering. Since they can tolerate full sun, Papilionanthe are good candidates for outdoor open cultivation or for use in landscaping. Due to an upright growing habit, they are usually planted in bunches with a supporting piece of wood or other materials. They can be planted as hedges or in beds, which are a spectacular sight to behold when they are in full bloom, or in individual pots.
Once established, they are virtually maintenance-free and are very hardy. In Tropical Asia they are usually heavily mulched at the base with wood shavings or sawdust Planting medium needs to be moisture-retaining material like coconut husks, chips, coir, wood shavings and sawdust. Papilionanthe generally thrive in warm to hot environments (25 to 32°C) except for a few species that need slightly cooler temperature (20 to 25 °C). Copious regular watering is recommended. Plants of this genus are heavy feeders; regular use of inorganic fertilizer or manure will produce good results. They are relatively free from pests and disease; occasional problems are thrips, red spider mites, caterpillars and scale. Plants can be propagated by top cuttings or from seedlings derived from tissue culture. The Genus PAPILIONANTHE, known for its delicate flowers reminiscent of a butterfly, is characterized by its distinctive cylindrical terete (pencil-like) leaves and climbing growth habit, hence the common name "terete vanda." The species range in distribution from Sri Lanka, the Himalayas, eastward to Indochina and the Pacific Islands. Their tropical habitat can range from swampy marshes to cloud forests, and they are usually epiphytes with a host plant for support due to their upright growth.
