Spreading the love

[King of diamonds]

I recently saw some cymbidiums for sale (at the local florist, not too overpriced) and I am thinking of getting one for my girlfriends birthday. I have heard cyms are fairly easy as long as you can give them enough light. It is a fully established plant in around a 6" (diameter) pot and as it is winter here it is already in bloom.

I am sure to find a wealth of knowledge about caring for them around but I just have a few niggling doubts. The plants look healthy and are in bloom however this wasn't a specialty shop. What signs should I look for? Wouldn't be good to have it die as soon as I get it home.

leaves are the appropriate colour, not drooping or yellow. No visible spots on cursory examination, flowers seem to be textbook white cymbidium.

[james mickelso]

As usual. What's it potted in? Dig down a couple of inches and see what the media looks like. Solid and fresh or deteriorating and mushy, wet? Cyms are very easy to grow except in very warm environments although there are some that take florida conditions. They like to be fed while growing and a change to a high phosphorus/potassium fertilizer every other watering once the new growth has matured. Cym Lady can tell you much more than I can. Cyms are a great presents as long as the recipient can give them good light and water them correctly. But if they can't.......well.......then "you" get a nice plant to grow for their next birthday ;P

[King of diamonds]

Lol, *facepalm. Totally forgot about medium. Looks like standard bark, possibly with some slow release fertilizer. Fresh and not mushy though I didn't spend too long looking like a creep and pawing through the bark in the shop.

She has been complaining for months about how boring her room is and how much she needs a plant so I thought ""Well, have I got the family for you... and guess what, it has over 26,000 distinct species" =P

I wish I could have a cym but my room is south facing =(. Sticking to Masds (they are probably stressed and will die in six months but I can still say "look at my orchids" for now).

Her family has an identical cym that has been growing happily for years so she should be able to care for it. From what I can gather its a case of "put in sunny space, water every 10 days, put some fertilizer in growing season" which should be ok

[Cym Ladye]

KoD,

"All cyms are not created alike". Some can live happily in a sunny window environment, and others will grow in the same environment, but never bloom. Most have long, flat leaves, others are shorter, fleshier or v-shaped. This is because there are 50+ species growing in nature than can or have been used for breeding different qualities into the genus.

That said and given the fact you want to give this to your friend to grow indoors, I would tend to stay away from a Cym. and give her a nice Phal., which would be very happy in a home environment. I constantly promote understanding your own environment where you will put your plant before buying ANY orchid. Far less drama for you when they start fading away because they are not happy.

If you are bound to try a Cym, I would recommend a hybrid coming from the warmer, Asian growing species, which have a chance or surviving and blooming in the house. There are a lot of threads on this forum discussing these plants. Let your fingers do the walking.

Also Google orchid nurseries in New Zealand. I have a lot of contacts in Australia but aside from some non-commercial growers, have no connections for you in NZ. There may be, however, some members on the OB from there who will chime in on giving you some info.

Good Luck,
Cym Ladye

[King of diamonds]

Thanks, I will have a look around for some phals Trouble is the cyms bloom in winter - so they look pretty. plus they are already somewhat established. The variety (I forgot to note it) looks identical to others I have seen around. The species is fine indoors.

Are there any special things I should be looking for in terms of illness?