How Cold Can They Get?

[BikerDoc5968]

What is the opinion of those professors out there who grow Cymbidiums as to the lowest temperatures they can tolerate? I know there are some "warm-growing" cymbids that can't handle the cold, but otherwise....in general what is the consensus...40....45....50?

[Ray]

I think it depends upon the particular cymbidium to some extent, but most will tolerate cold as long as they don't actually freeze, but personally, I'd set 40°F as an absolute minimum.

Chinese cymbs are most interesting, occasionally seeing snow in the wild in winter, but tolerating high heat in the summer, if shaded well.

[Andrew]

My Cymbidiums (typical cool growing hybrids) get occasional winter temperatures down to 30F at night without problems. I doubt they'd get these temps for more than a few hours and day temperatures usually climb above 60oC. I have seen references that they can tolerate down to ~23F if protected from frost before real damage sets in, although mine have never experienced temps that low.

[Don Perusse]

Maybe you should ask in the Cymbidium alliance to get more opinions. But I have often heard down to 40F. It is interesting to know that some will take 30 or below.

[orchidexpress]

Down here in Texas it takes an act of congress to get them to bloom. It's almost like they have to acclimate to our Texas heat. I always just leave them outside. I never bring them in. Yet here in Texas it may be at freezing for only a couple of hours. I still have all my cymbidiums; have not lost any due to cold.

Happy Growing

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The coldest I've grown Cymbidiums is 36 degrees F when the arctic winds started coming down here to Southern California a few years ago. It was also very windy.

[Weebl]

Have yet to lose a Cymbidium, and this past winter got down to 29 for a few hours.

[Jerry Delaney]

Some say that the unopened buds can withstand temps down to 28 degrees. A quick trip to Loren Batchman's web site will sum it up better than I could even descripe it. It has to do with the freeze of 2007 in Southern Ca.

January 14 Freeze

[Don Perusse]

Wow! What a story. Very, very interesting....as they would say, now we know. Thanks for your contribution another lesson learned about orchids.

[Royal]

I'm in Texas too, but a little more to the north than ordchidexpress. I only grow a few, and I try to bring them indoors if it gets into the 30's. I have slipped a few times and it got close to freezing more than once. The C. ensifolium still blooms for me every fall.

Just like some lots of others (some Zygos, Catts, Laelias, etc) they can be exposed to pretty extreme temps in nature. Even though they survive, I'd still try not going much below 40 for any tropical species.