Vanda coerulea

Blue Vanda, Autumn Lady's Tresses

Message of the Flower

Attachment in the Emotional Vital to the Divine

The Mother’s Comment

An artistic and graceful attachment, perhaps a little fanciful.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

There's only one salvation: to cling to the Divine like this (gesture with two fists).

Not clinging to what one thinks of the Divine, not even to what one feels of the Divine… to an aspiration… an aspiration as sincere as possible. And cling to that.

The Mother, Mother's Agenda: July 17, 1971

The aim of our life on earth is to become conscious of the Divine.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - II: The True Aim of Life

The true aim of life is to find the Divine's Presence deep inside oneself and to surrender to It so that It takes the lead of the life, all the feelings and all the actions of the body.

This gives a true and luminous aim to existence.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - II: The True Aim of Life

Colour

Ranges from pale to deep blue

Family

Orchidaceae

Cultivars

Fuchs Indigo', 'Pachara Delight', 'Blue Sky'

Person who named the flower

William Griffith

Flower Size

Each flower can be 3 to 4 inches across

Flower Texture

Waxy

Number of Petals

Five petals and a lip (labellum)

Floral Symmetry

Bilateral

Fragrance of Flower

Lightly fragrant

Leaf Texture

Leathery

Leaf Arrangement

Alternately arranged, monopodial growth

Leaf Color

Green

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Epiphytic orchid

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Mostly in fall, but can vary,

Climate

Tropical

Water Requirements

High humidity, regular watering but with good drainage

Soil Type

Epiphytic - grows on other plants, not in soil

Temperature Ranges

Warm, tropical climates

Sun or Shade

Bright, indirect light or partial shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to scale, spider mites, and root rot

Pollinators

Mainly bees

Habitat

Native to the Himalayas, found in Myanmar, Thailand, and Southwest China

Role in the Ecosystem

Adds to the biodiversity; a food source for certain pollinators

Ornamental

Highly prized in horticulture for its striking blue flowers

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Primarily ornamental

Endangered Status

Classified as Near Threatened due to habitat loss and over-collection