Mini Via Lady Carisona Chateau Burgundy

[Brenda Aarts]

My first cymbid. of the season to spike and bloom, hopefully the rest will follow the leader.

[RosieC]

That's gorgeous.

I almost bought a dark Cymbidium of a similar colour just today... but picked the yellow one in the end because it was a healthier plant. Must get one that colour sometime though.

[stefpix]

that looks great!
saw some amazing Cymbidiums - large so many growths at Trader Joe's and Wholefoods fpr 22 / 29 $ on sale blooming / unopened spikes.
But how can you provide 50 / 60 F in a urban apt in Brooklyn/NYC?
and bright light at the same time too!
lost cause.

[Brenda Aarts]

Hey Stef, don't think some of them are as picky as that. Mine spend the summer in an arbour outside getting lots of sun and varying temps. Then into the house or barn depending on where they are growthwize (ie. this one was spiking already in the fall...so I didn't give it cooler temps.). Worth a try anyways I'd say...sometimes nearer to window is several degrees cooler too.

[stefpix]

yeah but those are large. i have a banana plant in my window that i would have to move elsewhere. also would be close to the radiator - i think close to the window the temp is 18 C in the evening these days that outside is 0 C. but well if they were mini. but those for sale were about 60 cm tall if not more - maybe 12 growth.

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by stefpix

yeah but those are large. i have a banana plant in my window that i would have to move elsewhere. also would be close to the radiator - i think close to the window the temp is 18 C in the evening these days that outside is 0 C. but well if they were mini. but those for sale were about 60 cm tall if not more - maybe 12 growth.

Have you considered Cymbidium ensifolium? The blooms aren't as flamboyant as the flowers that the standard hybrids produce; however, the plants are small and (unlike most of standard hybrids) the flowers are incredibly fragrant. In addition, ensifolium and its hybrids do quite well with warmer temperatures and, in fact, neither need nor seem to prefer the cooler temperatures that standard hybrids require in order to bloom--and ensifolium does very well with much lower light levels than the standard hybrids require. Two of the oldest and most widely grown (and, therefore, easy to find) ensifolium hybrids are Golden Elf Sundust and Peter Pan Greensleeves. Both are a bit larger than the species ensifolium, but they're nowhere near the size of the monsters that are often sold at supermarkets at this time of year.

Steve

[smweaver]

Oops! Sorry, Brenda, I had forgotten my original reason for posting a reply. Your cymbidium's flowers are beautiful. I generally prefer the green-flowered cymbidiums. But the plants with really dark blooms are also stunning. How big is this one?

Steve

[Brenda Aarts]

Originally Posted by smweaver

. Your cymbidium's flowers are beautiful. I generally prefer the green-flowered cymbidiums. But the plants with really dark blooms are also stunning. How big is this one?

Steve

Thanks Steve. The flowers are almost 3 inches accross and the plant is approx. 18 inches high.(Not sure why it's called a mini!!) I think this is one that I repotted and divided last year so there are 5 p. bulbs. I have a green one as well, but it isn't doing anything yet.

[stefpix]

thanks for the advice

I checked the Onc ensifolium. a lot of these on ebay from china. this is from here and not too pricey...
CYMBIDIUM ORCHID SPECIES ensifolium alba BS bareroot!!! - eBay (item 370252443633 end time Dec-27-09 04:42:15 PST)

how much light does it need? I think i would prefer a reg one than alba.

does it bloom in Phal light?
wanted to buy a coelogyne mayeriana and a bulbo lobbii should i go for this instead?
are the blooms long lasting?
stefano

[smweaver]

Stefano, Cymbidium ensifolium should (in my opinion) do just fine with phalaenopsis light levels (actually, it should grow rather nicely alongside phalaenopsis). I would avoid the plants on EBay that are coming from China. I'm sure that they're fantastic plants when they leave the airport in China, and perhaps the vendors over there have a lot of success in getting the plants from China to the US without any problems. But I think you would be better off obtaining a plant that's already here in the US. Take a look at Andy's Orchids website (Andy's Orchids - Orchid Species - Orchids - Species Specialist - Orchids on a stick), where there are several varieties of ensifolium available, and for reasonable prices. You can also call Cal-Orchid or Santa Barbara Orchid Estate, both of which might have this species. All three of these companies, in my experience, are very reputable and offer good quality products at reasonable prices.

I don't have any firsthand experience with either the coelogyne or bulbophyllum you mentioned. So perhaps someone else can give you some feedback regarding those two species. As far as the longevity of Cym. ensifolium's blooms are concerns, it probably varies. When my plants bloom in the summer, the blooms last about ten days in good condition. Whenever the plants bloom during the winter months, I can usually get the flowers to last anywhere between two and three weeks, thanks to the cooler temperatures and lack of insect interference (chewing grasshoppers, maurauding Japanese Beetles, etc.). Even though they last (for a cymbidium) a relatively short period of time, the fragrance is outstanding.

Steve