Cymbidiums and Phalas

[Paerata]

My earlier post about this matter was sent on a busy day and got little response. New Year's Day may see more leisure time available.

I have 2 Phalas on a wicker stand next to 2 cymbs in an east facing sliding door window close to a heating register in the floor (Niagara Falls, Ontario).
Is what's good for the goose- the phalas (which are in flower), not good for the gander- the cymbs, to get the latter to flower? It's too warm for the cymbs being in a centrally heated environment?

[WhiteRabbit]

Hello

Yes, most cyms require a couple weeks of cool damp nights to induce spiking. They need a good deal of light to bloom as well.
Maybe in the spring you can grow yours outdoors?

[phearamedusa]

Paerata,
I live in Ontario also, just a hop, skip and jump from Detroit. I only recently brought my cymbidiums in. I think it was the first week of December. Keep them in a cooler area, then they might bloom for you. You can get warm growing cymbids too.

[The Orchid man]

in my opinion the two genera are poles apart and the cymbidiums won't flower prooperly in all the extra heat. around 50f i have found to be agood flowering temperature and should any blooms appear they will not last long at temperatures much above the stated. you may also encounter a problem with red spider mite at this temperature should the humidity be too low. don't forget to put the cymbids out into the garden as soon as the frosts dissappear and do not bring them in until they are just about to start again, feed little and often when in the garden. just a thought! peterD.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Phaius also don't grow in as bright a light as Cymbidiums do.

Cymbidiums can pretty much take full morning sun.

Phaius is a plant that grows in shade to bright shade.

Cymbidiums grow year round.

Phaius have a dormancy period that goes from mid fall all the way through winter.

Cymbidiums need a cold spell to spike.

Phaius shouldn't be grown cold. Intermediate to warm is fine, but not cold.

If you're not talking about Phaius and are actually talking about Phalaenopsis, then disregard what I said about Phaius.

Phals are tropical plants that don't tolerate cold. It's intermediate to warm for them.

An intermediate winter then a gradually warming up in spring will usually get many of the Phals to spike.

Again, Phals grow in shade to bright shade.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Here's the taxonomic breakdown to the genera in question:

Cymbidium:

Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Cymbidieae
Subtribe: Cymbidiinae

Phaius:

Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Arethuseae
Subtribe: Bletiinae

Phalaenopsis:

Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Vandeae
Subtribe: Aeridinae

[The Orchid man]

Here in England i put my cymbids out at the end of May and generally wait until the end of September before i take them indoors (after a good dressing down of course). i have found that if these plants are too well looked after they tend to bloom on a bienniel cycle and not well. there are of course some hotter hybrids i have come across, but these tend to be miniatures - not derivatives of pumilum and the like. Of course we have a diffferent climate here - this year a lot wetter - which doesn't help but i think cosseted plants grow well and not flower - this has been the case for me in past years. what do you think?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

As far as what I have to say...

I don't know.

I don't really baby my Cymbidium hybrids. They're outdoors all year round here where I'm at.

They're pretty much "ignored".

Temperatures in the winter are on average around 45 F to 80 F, sometimes it dips down to 36 F, (7 C to 27 C, occasionally 2 C).

Summers are much warmer. 60 F to a little over 100 F (16 C to 38 C, rarely 43 C)

They're all under very bright sunlight.

Mine flower once a year.

In fact I have one that's spiking right now.

[The Orchid man]

souds like you have a pretty good climate for many cymbids, i feel a little jealous here. i have two tracyanums in flower at the moment and they fill my small greenhouse with perfume. however i always have problems with aliofolium, and the other succulent types. last year hookerianum bloomed in a splendid fashion but takes a long while to get over the experience so i must aim for a spike to be ready for a show next year. great to speak with you, i have never done this before and the computer tends to confound me - don't understand the jargon too well.
best regards PeterD.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by The Orchid man

...however, I always have problems with aliofolium, and the other succulent types.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VhKkuJUioo...aloifolium.jpg

Does this help?

Originally Posted by The Orchid man

Last year hookerianum bloomed in a splendid fashion but takes a long while to get over the experience so i must aim for a spike to be ready for a show next year.

I wish you the best of luck with your endeavors. It must be a gorgeous plant to have.

Originally Posted by The Orchid man

great to speak with you, i have never done this before and the computer tends to confound me - don't understand the jargon too well.
best regards PeterD.

Thank you. It was a pleasure.

I'm not well versed in computer jargon myself, but I'm sure you'll do fine.

Regards.

Philip S.