Cymbidium Query

[Alan Sailer]

I ahve about a half dozen cymbidiums and am having problems getting most of them to bloom.

A common problem.

Recently I looked at the AOC culture sheet and was kind of alarmed when it said that if the winter temp goes above 75C they will not flower. I live in Southern California and we almost always have Santa Ana conditions during winter were temps can get over 90F. If this is true I'd have to build a sealed air conditioned greenhouse to grow them.

I purchased all my plays locally and would kind of assume that they sell plants that can grow in the area.

As a passing note, ironically the only cym that I have that blooms on a regular basis is a plant someone gave me years before I started growing orchids seriously. It was abused with neglect but after I divided it the two are the only blooming cym I have.

Final notes, the plants are outside, 50% shade watered weekly in winter, more in summer and fertilized with Nutricoat.

Cheers.

[Roberta]

I wonder which Cyms those AOC culture sheets were referring to... none that grow in my back yard.;

Cyms do just fine in triple-digit (F) summer tempertures. They also do fine down to freezing or a little below if acclimated. They don't care about the winter hot spells either. If you have Cyms that aren't blooming, I wonder about the light. They are high-light plants, aim for lime-green or even yellow-green leaves. If leaves are dark green, definitely not enough light. This is a good time of year to make those adjustments, before the sun angle gets into toasting range to acclimate them.

Be sure to keep them well-watered, especially in warm weather. They don't like to dry out, grow more like terrestrials than epiphytes.

But southern California climate in general is perfect for all but the most tropical Cyms.No special care needed.

[Alan Sailer]

Good information. I'd say that in the past most of them were not getting enough light (shaded by an olive tree).

This winter I moved them all into direct sun for a few months and then into 50% shade. the hardy one bloomed like crazy, nothing for any of the others.

Incidentally one of the non bloomers was purchased in spike and bloomed fine. Nothing since then.

The most mysterious one is a miniature erythrostylum. It's been happily growing next to some cattleyas for five years and never even tries to bloom. I think it is getting plenty of light.

Cheers.

[Roberta]

Hmmm... my Cym. erythrostulum is definitely not a miniature... I grow it a little shadier than the Cym hybrids, pretty much Catt light, and it blooms fine.

I would not move them into shade at all if they get any shading during part of the day. Let them acclimate to brighter light now, and they can tolerate the bright light of summer. (A bit of shading at mid-day if you're in a hot area, but most Cyms are really tough. )I have 45% shade cloth over my Cym area, but in summer there is no shade at all, with full east-west exposure, so intense light from half hour after sunrise to half an hour before sunset and that really is too much without a teensy bit of filtering.

[Alan Sailer]

Interesting. Yes my eryhrostylum is about 10 inches tall with about a dozen bulbs.

I guess more light will be tried this year. It will be a mental fight to put them in direct sunlight. I once went to a grower is Camarillo that had about a hundred cyms all under 50% shade. He is a master gardener so I would think he knows what going on.

Cheers.

[Roberta]

Remeber, it's total amount of light that is important. So if there is natural shade for part of the day from trees, house, etc. you have to factor that in. The commercial nursery no doubt had full exposure all day long, so the 50% shade was the right thing to do. You do need to protect the Cyms from extreme direct summer sun, but sun duration is also important.

[estación seca]

Go to some shows and look at Cyms. in flower. The leaves all look light stressed.

[Alan Sailer]

Thanks. Light it is. We were at the SB Orchid show but I was looking at the flowers. Didn't notice the leaves.

Cheers.