Cymbidium new growth in autumn?

[Elize]

Hi I hope somebody can help me.( I am failry new to orchid addition.) In late April (autumn here Johannesburg, South Africa) my cymbidiums intiated spikes. Nice fat and roundish - flower spikes! or so I thought. However it is now clear that it is in fact new growth. This happened to 3 of my cymbidiums. Cymbidiums are not supposed to be in their growth cycle in winter or am I wrong. Should I leave the new growth or remove them? and lastley do you think that I will still get flower spikes this late in the season? Thanx

[Silje]

I'm spending a lot of time with my head in my cymbidiums nowadays as well searching for spikes and I also just find a whole bunch of new bulbs developing. Not sure what to make of it. I'm just going to keep looking and waiting. There's just no way the plants are getting too little sun where they're standing now.

I would not remove anything if I were you. New growths are good! If they do not flower this season, at least you'll have a larger plant that can produce more flowers next year. I've not given up hope for this year yet.

[Orchidsoutdoors]

Definitely leave them. Never cut off new growth unless it's badly damaged. You will get growth and flowers at odd times if weather conditions are off for that species. I have cymbidiums that started putting out new growth in late autumn after a warm and wet period. Growth will be slow and probably not as robust as if it had sprouted in spring.

[Elize]

Hallo,

Thank you so much for your feedback. I will leave the new growth. Just hope there will be more spikes in the days to come. Thanx

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I've found that most of my Cymbidium hybrids spike closer to late winter to early spring.

[Silje]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I've found that most of my Cymbidium hybrids spike closer to late winter to early spring.

Yes. I'm not going to give up hope for some cymbidium flowers until September. If nothing has happened until then it's re-potting and dividing and then...got no idea what. I thought it was too little light that was the problem, but for the last year or so all my cyms have received A LOT of sun. And I mean a lot. Direct Namibian sunshine is ridiculously strong but the plants can take it because the leaves are still grass/lime green and not getting any burns. And they're making a lot of new bulbs.

[Elize]

What good news Philip!, lets hope they form spikes later (this year). Yours too Silje. Mine had ample sun, water, fertilizer and a breeze ever so often.

[Cym Ladye]

One of the biggest misconceptions is that Cyms do not grow in the winter. Cyms grow all year long, just slower in the cold months.

Initiating growth late in the growing season may be completely normal for a particular plant or for weather conditions. It also t may be that it will be sending out new growths instead of spikes due perhaps to too much nitrogen. Be careful of the fertilizer and amounts you use at this time of year. Fall is the time to back off on the amounts of fertilizer you use, especially if it is high in nitrogen, or your plants will just grow fat and happy and not get the stress which helps to initiate spikes.

Cym Ladye

[james mickelso]

There needs to be a certain amount of cold to initiate flower buds to grow. Cym can tell you more than I can but there needs to be some cold weather. If it's been warm at all then cyms will initiate foliar growth instead.

[Silje]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

There needs to be a certain amount of cold to initiate flower buds to grow. Cym can tell you more than I can but there needs to be some cold weather. If it's been warm at all then cyms will initiate foliar growth instead.

Makes sense. Our winter nights began about a month ago, I think. And the plants have had several nights with around 5 degrees Celsius since then, so crossing fingers.