Miniature Cymbidiums for mounting?

[Jeff9]

Hello,

Is there a miniature Cymbidium species or sub species that is suitable to mount on i.e epiweb?

Was reading Mounting Cymbidiums on wood and thought it would be intresting to find out how this works.


Thanks.

[Cym Ladye]

In cultivation, I am looking for maximum plant performance and maximum bloom production. You will never get that mounted on anything in an artificial environment. Will they grow, probably yes if you regularly give them enough water and fertilizer. Will they perform to the max for their type, no.

I have seen specimen species growing on trees or stumps in the back yards of some growers, especially in parts of Australia, but they are in the same environment as the native species.

To each his own on growing any cyms on mounts, but NIMBY for me.

CL

[UKCat]

The smallest are Cym. tigrinum and Cym. goeringii neither of which are suitable nor would I recommend for growing in this fashion.
Even the 'miniatures' or 'Teacup Cyms' are not that small, it would be a real waste of a good plant IMO.

[Cym Ladye]

UKCat,

It is interesting you brought this point up, as actually the smallest of the Cymbidium species which would also be used in any miniature hybrid breeding, are actually semi terrestrial as opposed to being epiphytic. They would definitely not thrive mounted.

CL

[Bobfharris]

I have to interject a bit of irony here. In cymbidiums, miniature is a reference to the flower size, not the plant size. So for example, madidum is a miniature flower, generally under 2" Natural Width. It is in fact epiphytic in nature. But it is a horrendously large plant in terms of the size of the pseudobulbs making it hard to attach to anything but the largest of limbs in a large tree as it grows in Australia. Many of the Australian cyms are in fact epiphytic but grow under very adverse conditions, ie very dry winters, extreme heat at times, and as such have very large storage bulbs, and can in some cases be tricky to get to bloom. Canaliculatum is another epiphytic Australian species, and again the flowers are miniature but the pseudobulbs can get quite large.

[Izzie]

SBOE has a section devoted to their compact and miniature size cymbidium plants.

[Jeff9]

Thanks, but i was actually wondering if Cymbidium has any allied / related plants that are miniature and thrive mounted?

[Cym Ladye]

Jeff, I took your original request to refer to miniature plant size as opposed to miniature flower size, the irony of which Bob has correctly referenced. (There are actually a few more species which fit into the "miniature flower/large plant" category but this can be saved for another thread.)

My answer to you is still "no". There are other genera which will adapt far better to mounting and your cultural environment, as well as give you more enjoyment, than the Cymbidium alliance.
Good Luck,

CL