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 Blooming
Plants
Blooming Plant of
the Month
Cymbidium
orchid
Botanical name
Cymbidium spp. (sim-BID-ee-um)
Description
Cymbidium orchids are among the few terrestrial (grown in the
ground) orchids. They are extremely desirable, and there are
approximately 70 species of tropical and subtropical Cymbidiums
and several thousand man-made hybrids.
Decorative light
Cymbidium orchid plants generally will bloom four to six weeks
or more.
AVAILABILITY
Cymbidiums bloom in cool seasons and are available from January
to March and September to December from Holland sources; from
January to June and October to December from domestic markets;
and from May to October from New Zealand and Australia.
IN-STORE AND CONSUMER CARE
light
Bright, diffused light is best for indoors. Full shade or
filtered sunlight is best if the plants are placed outdoors.
water
Check plants daily, and keep soil evenly moist. Severe drying
will cause the leaves to yellow. Drying also will delay flower
development. Do not allow pots to stand in water.
storage
Store the plants at 55 F when they are not on display. Do not
refrigerate them.
fertilizer
Use an orchid bloom fertilizer, following the directions on the
package label, until the blossoms are developed and opened.
soil
 An
orchid bark potting mix should be used when potting Cymbidium
orchids. Do not disturb plants too often because most Cymbidiums
bloom best when root-bound. Repot after blooming and only when
pseudobulbs become crowded against the edges of the pot.
CHALLENGES
ethylene sensitivity
Cymbidiums may exhibit symptoms of ethylene sensitivity. Check
with your suppliers to make sure their crops have been treated
with an ethylene inhibitor at the farm or during transportation.
pests
Common pests associated with Cymbidiums are aphids, scale and
spider mites.
blooms
Cymbidiums need cool nights to initiate flowers.
FUN FACTS
family
Cymbidiums are classified in the Orchidaceae (orchid family) and
are native to Asia and Malaysia. Their natural habitats are the
cool, bright, high-altitude areas of China, Japan and Southeast
Asia, and south of the equator in similar climate areas of
Australia and New Zealand. Related species include Cattleya,
Dendrobium, Paphiopedilum and Phalaenopsis.
meaning
Cymbidium is from the Greek “kymbe” for boat, referring to
the hollow recess in the flower’s lip.
history
Orchids have long been highly sought after, probably for the
unusual beauty of their design. Orchid hunters in the 19th
century collected them by the ton and chopped down as many as
4,000 trees at one time for the orchids growing on them.
Some information provided by:
Repetto Nurseries, Half Moon Bay, Calif.
Chain of Life Network®,
www.chainoflifenetwork.org
You can reach “Blooming Plant of the Month” writer Steven W.
Brown, AIFD, at
sbfloral@aol.com or by phone at (415) 239-3140.
Images courtesy of Gallup & Stribling Orchids
To enjoy the rest of this
issue, please go to the
Subscriptions page and get your
copy of Super Floral Retailing today!!!
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