urgent: cymbidium rescue!! - Orchid Board

Berrybee · #1 09-15-2014, 12:37 PM

Hello, a cymbidium I bought a little over 1 month ago lost all its leaves,

It's more like a seedling plant, as it's at least 2 years from first flowering, according to the seller.

Could it still be saved? If yes, what should I do? If no, I'll have to moan over it,

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Cym Ladye · #2 09-15-2014, 02:00 PM

We need a photo to help you better. A couple of answers to a couple of questions might help you though:
How many bulbs?
Gently move the mix away from the top of the bulb/s which lost the leaves. Again gently split in half the lower part from the leaves which fell off and remove them down to the bare bulb. Think of it as pealing an onion. Look at the bulb. Is it black? Is there any sign of a very small green triangle growth at the base of the black part?

Once you have this info, post again and we will see what if anything can be done.

tarev · #3 09-15-2014, 02:16 PM

Photos would help as suggested..in the meantime..feel the bulb itself..is it still firm to your touch?
Pbs have dormant eyes which can still be coaxed to grow new pbs where new leaves and spikes will come from.

Then do tell how you have been caring for it since you got it before all the leaves died..like where did you place it? how often did you water? what media are you using?

What is the ambient condition in the area where you are growing it right now..temperature-humidity-light

Berrybee · #4 09-15-2014, 03:39 PM

thanks for the replies!
It has only 1 bulb. It had 5 or 6 leaves when I got it. I put it outside where it got sun from morning to early afternoon, as I read cym. likes bright light. It might get burned or too hot, and the outside leaves started to dry up. Then I moved it to east facing so that it only got early morning sun. But the leaves continuous to die. The last leaf started to become brown and dry where it connected to the bulb even though the upper side of the leaf is still green. So this one is gone as well. Now I moved it to a covered porch where it will not get much sun.

For watering, I alternated between very week fertilizer or seeweed spray. Or it got rain water. The medium is some orchid mix which will not suffocate the roots.

I'll take a close look of the bulb this evening as you suggested, and post a photo. It's the first cym I have, and hope it can survive. Thanks again for your help!
thanks for the replies!

tarev · #5 09-15-2014, 09:04 PM

Typically for the cyms to grow good, it needs 3 to 4 pbs together. You only got one bulb. I am not sure if it was just repotted when you bought it.

But will wait for your photo. And we'll see how it looks. Try to get a photo also of the roots please.

Cym Ladye · #6 09-20-2014, 12:48 PM

As Tarev suggested, gently squeeze the whole ppb. Also, smell the ppb. If it has a bad odor, the plant is definitely gone.

If it is soft, the plant is also a goner. If firm, there is hope for it to sprout a new lead. Meanwhile, do not over water. I suspect your misting has caused crown rot which has moved all the way through the plant.

Berrybee · #7 09-22-2014, 12:04 AM

Thanks for the help. I followed the suggestions and took a close look of the bulb and roots last week (wasn't able to reply due to the site move), and the plant looked pretty dead to me. The bulb felt hollow, and only 1 root felt firm and alive, but the part connecting to the bulb is soft. I was surprised to find out that the plant was in such a bad condition. Attached two photos from last week.