Environmental Conditions for Vandaceous Orchids by John Lahey April 1982 The major factors to be considered for the culture of Vandaceous orchids are:  Temperature Light, Air movement and Humidity, Watering and Fertilising.  obviously these requirements will vary considerably from genus to genus and even  between species within the same genus. However I will attempt to outline those  factors which are common to most Vandaceous orchids. Temperature - Vandaceous orchids generally require intermediate to hot light  conditions. In fact Brisbane's climate is ideal for those Vandaceous orchids which  require intermediate conditions and they do very well under bush house or shade  house culture. Some typical genera preferring intermediate temperatures are Aerides,  Ascocentrums, some Vandas such as V. coerulea and many of the African genera. A large group of vandaceous orchids prefer rather warmer conditions in winter than  we experience in Brisbane and these do better under hot house conditions. However  this requirement can be very much a function of where you live in Brisbane. The cold  nights in winter are characterised by still conditions and a temperature inversion.  This means that low lying flat areas away from Moreton Bay are many degrees  colder than higher land, or land close to Moreton Bay. Therefore plants which do  well under shadehouse conditions in one location may suffer in a similar orchid  house in a colder area. Hot houses are really only required in Brisbane for about 3 to 4 months of the year  and for the rest of the year they tend to be a bit of a nuisance. The major problem is  that in summer they tend to get too hot and this factor should be a major  consideration in hot house design.   (Continued) Growing Oncidium species in Brisbane Environmental Conditions for Vandaceous Orchids Adelopetalum bracteatum Aerangis modesta Ancistrochilus rothschildianus Ascocentrum christensonianum Bulbophyllum annandalei   Bulbophyllum dissitiflorum Bulbophyllum hamelinii  Bulbophyllum lasiochilum Bulbophyllum lobbii Bulbophyllum schillerianum Cattleya loddigesii Cattleya skinneri Coelia triptera Cymbidium erythraeum More Articles