Cymbidium lowianum

[Roberta]

I don't have tracyanum. (Have had in the past but lost it, moved on to smaller things) Insigne grows happily. (Actually, it came from Andy's). I also love Cym. erythrostylum, it grows well for me. A little different form - sort of triangular flower. Crystaline white, graceful. Consider Cym dayanum - small, pendant flowers, really floriforous. There's a variegated-leaf form too. Plant stays reasonable-sized.

The size is a drawback for tracyanum, for sure. I love the fragrance, but... Most of my Cyms (the majority are hybrids) came by way of society raffle tables. Now, the ones that I favor are the smaller, mostly pendant ones. No room for the ones that grow into gut-busters.


Cyms in general just grow so easily in southern California that they don't get sufficient respect, I think. But what else produces such long-lasting flower power? Dendrobiums get bigger, but flowers last a week or 10 days. Cymbidium flowers last 6-8 weeks. And require so little care... put them on patio, squirt with a hose when you think of it, and they bloom like crazy. An "easy orchid" is one for which one's natural conditions match the plant's requirements. (And those conditions are really hard to achieve in most other places, as you discovered) South Florida has Vandas, we have Cyms.

[Toadwally]

Originally Posted by Roberta

I don't have tracyanum. (Have had in the past but lost it, moved on to smaller things) Insigne grows happily. (Actually, it came from Andy's). I also love Cym. erythrostylum, it grows well for me. A little different form - sort of triangular flower. Crystaline white, graceful. Consider Cym dayanum - small, pendant flowers, really floriforous. There's a variegated-leaf form too. Plant stays reasonable-sized.

The size is a drawback for tracyanum, for sure. I love the fragrance, but... Most of my Cyms (the majority are hybrids) came by way of society raffle tables. Now, the ones that I favor are the smaller, mostly pendant ones. No room for the ones that grow into gut-busters.


Cyms in general just grow so easily in southern California that they don't get sufficient respect, I think. But what else produces such long-lasting flower power? Dendrobiums get bigger, but flowers last a week or 10 days. Cymbidium flowers last 6-8 weeks. And require so little care... put them on patio, squirt with a hose when you think of it, and they bloom like crazy. An "easy orchid" is one for which one's natural conditions match the plant's requirements. (And those conditions are really hard to achieve in most other places, as you discovered) South Florida has Vandas, we have Cyms.

Your post reminds me of Mote's addage about how fish not kept in a pastures or cows in a pond.