Cymbidium Orchid

cymbidium orchid, green cymbidium orchids, yellow cymbidium orchid, orchid cymbidium, orchids cymbidium, cymbidium orchid care, white

Plants with yellow-green leaves usually flower best. TEMPERATURE: Minis: 70[degrees] or higher (day), 600 (night). Standards: 60[degrees]--75[degrees] (day), 50[degrees]--55[degrees](night) is ideal, but higher summertime temperatures (to 90[degrees] or so) and near-freezing winter temperatures are tolerated if plants are sheltered. POTTING MIX: Packaged cymbidium mix. Or fine-grade fir bark mixed with peat moss or perlite or both. WATERING: Keep soil moist during growing season, March-September. In winter, water just enough to keep bulbs from shriveling. FEEDING: January-July, feed with complete liquid fertilizer high in nitrogen every 10 days to 2 weeks; August-December, feed as frequently with low-nitrogen fertilizer.

Orchids for the holidays - growing cymbidiums

Grow miniature cymbidiums for exotic bloom outdoors or in the house

One look at the exquisite flowers of cymbidiums explains why they are favorites of gardeners who grow them outdoors in mild-winter areas of the West. These cool-season orchids are easy to grow, particularly in coastal gardens, and they bloom with very little care.

Standard cymbidiums grow 3 to 4 feet tall, have long, strappy leaves, and produce large flowers 3 to 5 inches across. Bloom season for standards usually runs from early winter to spring.

Less well known are the miniatures, which bloom earlier than the standards; their peak season is November to January - just in time for the holidays. These plants are generally restrained in size, usually growing 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall, with flower spikes 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet long.

The flowers of miniature cymbidiums are also smaller - 1 to 3 inches across - and appear in greater numbers than the flowers on standards, with some miniature varieties producing as many as 42 flowers per spike. Some miniatures may also produce two spikes per bulb. The flowers come in nearly every color (except blue and true black), including new shades of apricot and orange. The blooms of most miniature cymbidiums have dark, contrasting lips, but you'll also find a few albino flowers - with no contrasting lip color - such as Golden Elf 'Sundust', a clear yellow variety, and Lovely Bunny 'Othello'.

Cymbidium Orchid

Breeders have been improving miniature cymbidiums by creating hybrid plants with enhanced fragrance, repeat bloom habit, and greater heat tolerance - characteristics that are found in Golden Elf 'Sundust', Peter Pan 'Green-sleeves' (green with a maroon lip), and 'Nut' (light tan to chocolate brown). All the hybrids in this new group grow about 14 inches tall, and bloom when nighttime temperatures are in the upper 50s. Many nurseries and garden centers sell miniature cymbidiums during the bloom season.

You can also order them through catalogs, which is one of the best ways to obtain unusual varieties; for sources, see page 96. Orchid society shows and sales also offer a great selection.

GROWING TIPS

In Sunset climate zones 15 through 24 - from coastal Northern California to San Diego - cymbidiums are a cinch to grow, as long as they're protected from temperatures below 30 [degrees] and given bright light but not midday sun. When temperatures drop below freezing, the best place for cymbidiums is under the eaves or on a covered patio.
In hot inland areas and colder climates, cymbidiums need extra care. Since miniature cymbidiums tolerate higher temperatures than standards do, they fare better in inland areas. But they'll need watering more often there than in cooler climates, and a more humid environment during especially hot spells.

In the Pacific Northwest and in cold-winter areas, you can leave cymbidiums outdoors until temperatures below 30 [degrees] are predicted; then bring plants indoors to a bright location. This should give them the chilling - a differential of at least 20 [degrees] - they need to set flower spikes. Next spring, move plants outdoors again. Other options are to grow them in a cool greenhouse or to choose one of the new heat-tolerant hybrids suited for indoor culture.

Besides bright light, cymbidiums need regular water and fertilizer to produce a mass of blooms. The Rod McLellan Company prefers to grow its miniature cymbidiums in 6-inch pots. When the plants outgrow the pots, they are divided and sections are replanted in the same pots. Some gardeners choose to grow them in 2-gallon containers.

Plants in 6-inch pots or in warm areas need watering two or three times a week. Plants in 1- or 2-gallon cans usually need watering about once a week in coastal areas. Each time you water, soak the potting mix thoroughly; avoid getting water on the leaves. Cut back on watering during the winter.

Most orchid growers recommend feeding with high-nitrogen fertilizer (30-10-10 or 25-9-9) from New Year's Day to the Fourth of July and with low-nitrogen fertilizer (6-30-30 or 6-25-25) from the Fourth of July through the end of the year. Apply it weekly, diluted by half the recommended rate (unless the label already lists a dilution for weekly feedings).