Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottMcC
Hey, quick question for the cymbidium fans...any recs for some that grow in warmer climes?
I'm just not set up to do the 40 degree thing...
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This is a really big issue. First off there are several ways we can talk about warm tolerance. 1. Is your day night differential less than 15-20 degrees? 2. Is your night temperature above 55 degrees? 3. Is your day temperature above 86 degrees? These factors make a difference on what will work for you and what won't. I live in a part of Hawaii where night temp is never below 60, day night difference is less than 12 degrees, and day hardly ever goes above 86. So for me I have some that work nicely such as Sarah Jean 'Ice Cascades' which is listed as cool by many. Also Dorothy Stockstill 'Forgotten Fruits', Devon Odyssey, Pearl Dawson 'Procyon' to name a few pendulous ones. Going to the warm ones that have ensifolium in the background we have Golden Elf 'Sundust' and progeny of which there are many. Peter Pan 'Greensleeves', Kusuda Shining, Super Baby, etc but the life of the bloom is short. This is often made up for by multiple blooms per year in warm climes. Rosy Cloud is a very nice down the line hybrid from Peter Pan
Aloifolium species is very warm tolerant, and there are only a few hybrids. I have one just finished blooming now, Hugh Gordon 'Black Tiger' and the ants pollinated the heck out of the mother of aloifolium so have quite a few pods setting. It doesn't like to bloom until rather large.
Devonianum is strange in that some crosses are warm and some not. Nice red lips seem to come through in the crosses. Depends on the cross and origin of the devonianum perhaps. I have Robins Return blooming regularly, as does the above mentioned Devon Odyssey, etc.
Madidum is lovely with lots of long lasting green flowers. Problem is very large pseudobulbs so many of the crosses try to remove this. Mad Irishman is good as is Parish Madness.
Canaliculatum is another Aussie species that is often used for crosses with nice reds and greens. It needs dry conditions in winter though, a problem in many places.
parishii is funny in that some are and some aren't. It may have to do with the original plants and there have been lots of discussions about the classification of some of the specimens in this category. When it does work you can often get nice whites.
sinense is a small flowered longer lasting species that is used in many crosses. I have a Chinatown that is rather nice. Maureen Carter is also nice. The list here is rather long.
I'm working with a lot of warm tolerant ones and if you email me directly (
harris@dancingfrog.net) I will talk to you more about what I will be offering in the future as I move into a more commercial mode. Meanwhile here on the forum I'm happy to share whatever info I have, and more than willing to be corrected when I'm in error!! and listen to what others have found out and wish to share.
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