Vanda sanderiana
waling-waling
Family OrchidaceaeAlso called Sander's vanda
About
Waling-waling is an orchid endemic to Mindanao, hailed as the 'Queen of Philippine flowers' and widely used in breeding hybrids.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Light
- Bright light, such as a south-facing window or bright greenhouse; strap-leaf vandas want 3,000–5,000 foot-candles. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Water often, even several times a day in summer, but keep water off leaves and flowers to avoid rot. General guidance for the genus
- Humidity
- High humidity. General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Fast-draining, quick-drying medium (lava rock, coarse bark, kiln-fired aggregate) or an open basket; do not trim the aerial roots. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Distribution & habitat
Endemic to Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga on Mindanao, Philippines, growing on the trunks of dipterocarp trees below 500 m.
Cultivation notes
Often used in hybridisation.
History & etymology
First published as Esmeralda sanderiana by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1882 and moved to Vanda the same year; it is named for orchidologist Henry Frederick Conrad Sander. The Bagobo people revere it as a diwata (spirit).
Conservation
Over-collection has made it rare in the wild.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Philippines
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Humidity
- High humidity.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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