Why Cymbidums? - Greater Cincinnati Orchid Society

Why Cymbidums?

Color variety

Showy long lasting flowers (6 to 8 weeks if cool)

Some are fragrant

Can be propogated for reasonable price

Bloom August to March

Variegated leaf patterns
What do cymbidiums look like?
Background
Around 50 species
Prized by Chinese Emperors as early as 550 BC.
Are sold in west coast grocery stores just as
Phals. are here at Kroger
Where do they come from?

Australia, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the
Ryukyu Islands, India, Thailand, New Guinea,
Western Himalayas.
Growth types
Temperature
–
Intermediate (Chinese)
–
Warmer (Australian)
–
Cold (Himalayan)
–
Standards (mostly Himalayan)
–
Minature (warmer type bred in)
Size
Flower
–
Upright
–
Cascading
–
Pendant
Where do the warm type grow?
(Cym. madidum, Cym. suave, Cym.
canaliculatum)
Where do the Intermediate types
grow?
“Warm” Jensoa types (Cym. Faberi,
kanran, sinense,tortisepalum, goeringii, ensifolium)
Where do the cool types grow?
“Cool”
Were do the Standard hybrids grow
easily?
Santa Barbara, CA
high
low
prec.
record high
record low
Jan 64°F
41°F 3.50 in.
86°F (1991)
24°F (2007)
Feb 64°F
44°F 4.09 in.
86°F (1977)
25°F (1989)
Mar 65°F
46°F 3.18 in.
94°F (1972)
30°F (1966)
Apr 67°F
48°F 1.00 in.
96°F (1989)
33°F (1945)
May69°F
51°F 0.34 in.
101°F (1968)
38°F (1991)
Jun 71°F
54°F 0.07 in.
109°F (1990)
41°F (1955)
Jul 73°F
58°F 0.03 in.
109°F (1985)
45°F (1944)
Aug 74°F
58°F 0.12 in.
105°F (1972)
43°F (1941)
Sep 74°F
56°F 0.26 in.
104°F (1979)
42°F (1950)
Oct 72°F
51°F 0.81 in.
103°F (1987)
31°F (1971)
Nov 68°F
44°F 1.55 in.
97°F (1992)
30°F (2004)
Dec 64°F
40°F 2.94 in.
89°F (1958)
20°F (1990)
Temperature, light, soil.

As much light as possible without heat (for
most)

Reports say 50% shade cloth

Full sun if kept in cool air

Most will take it down to 40 degrees



Necessary for flower spike on cool growers
Potting soil with 50% medium bark
Standards require cold snap; Chinese (C.
sinese) don't
Propogation
Seed
Back bulb divisions
Tissue culture
Growth Habits
Flower
spike
New
Growth
Root ball
Fragrance and warm tolerance
Many Chinese (warm) growers are fragrant. Look
for Cym. Sinense, ensifolium.
For warm bloomers look for C. ensifolium from Asia, C.
madidum and C. canaliculatum from Australia and others like C.
sinense and C. parishii var Sanderae and the hybrid Golden Elf
‘Sundust in background.
Primary Hybrids
(learn how to cultivate)
Cymbidium (iridiodes x sinense)
Cymbidium Kuranda (Cymbidium madidum X Cymbidium suave)
Other intersting species & hybids
Cym. erythrostylum (bright, intermediate)
Cym. iridioides (cool,shady)
Cym. Parish Madness
Sources and websites
Santa Barbara Orchid Estate sborchid.com
Cymbidium Society of America cymbidium.org
Potting cymbidium.org/PottingMixesbyLorenBatchman.pdf
Cymbidium Orchid Club of South Australia
cymorchids.com.au
Cybidium Primary Hybrids cymspecies.com/primary.htm