Old impulse buy cymbidium

[smweaver]

Thanks, CL! I'm going to be repotting it once it's done blooming (since the two green bulbs are, in fact, growing in opposite directions and have, maybe, eight to ten backbulbs between them). A few years ago I repotted the whole thing in small-grade coconut husk pieces, and that's about the time that the older bulbs began to drop their leaves. I'll be putting the two pieces back into straight small-grade fir bark (I do use RO water on the plant, so I have a suspicion that the coconut might be contributing to the early loss of leaves). This plant only produces blooms that are clustered toward the end of the spike, instead of evenly spaced along the upper half, as I've seen in other cymbidiums. I'll Google pictures of the species, per your suggestion, to get an idea of the variety of Cym. insigne plants and blooms.

Andy's Orchids has a couple of Cym. insigne plants that I'm very seriously thinking about acquiring. I do like their narrow, erect leaves (as opposed to the "octopus" that my Red Beauty inevitably resembles after its summer outdoors), and if they're as free flowering as the hybrid (or whatever it may be) I have, I'll be pleased. Thank you again for your feedback.

Steve

[Cym Ladye]

Steve,

I would also check out the availability of different cultivars from SBOE (Santa Barbara Orchid Estate). They are known worldwide for their species of all genera.

I think you are right in changing to small fir bark. To that, I would add some well washed river sand or artificial black sand, and #3 or #4 perlite, maybe 10% each of sand and perlite.

CL

[smweaver]

I'll do both (contacting SBOE and adding river sand and perlite to the fir bark). Thank you.