New Cym with shriveled psb's!!! Help??

[Gage]

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

Shrunken bulbs are a definite indication of insufficient water getting to them and a plant in stress. This can happen in one of two ways: lack of water to the plant or too much water to the plant causing the roots to rot. Although the top roots look plump and firm in the photos, I suspect the majority of them in the pot have rotten from too much water, as these commercial box stores tend to overwater.

Gently pull the plant from the pot and see if the exposed roots are firm and show green growing tips. If not, you need to go through a full root trimming, cleaning and re-potting process.

Let us know what you find and I will guide further. In any case, I always recommend re-potting newly acquired plants into a fresh mix and spring is the best time to do so.

Good Luck,

CL

Thanks, CL. I will have to check the roots and likely repot, but it was definitely bone dry when I got it. Since it was Publix, I'm guessing they didn't water it because they never saw the leaves wilt. Nevertheless, that may have desiccated the roots to the point that some died. I suppose I will find out when I pull it out.

[NewBloom]

Gage, I doubt you'll get that Publix cym to bloom especially in your location. There's a good chance it isn't the heat tolerant kind.

The Publix in my area sells cyms from a grower in California. They usually arrive around the Christmas holidays. I think the grower was Westerlay Orchids. They are gorgeous and the plant itself will grow but it's not suited to our warmer temps when it comes to flowering.

Check out the heat tolerant plants. They'll do much better for you when blooming season arrives.

[Gage]

Thanks for the info, NewBloom. I sure hope it blooms for me. I have heard and read that the smaller Cymbidiums are more heat tollerant, and this one is less than half the size of a standard Cym. Any thoughts?

[cymonym]

A google search on "heat tolerant cymbidiums" will give you a mine of information.

[NewBloom]

Originally Posted by Gage

Thanks for the info, NewBloom. I sure hope it blooms for me. I have heard and read that the smaller Cymbidiums are more heat tollerant, and this one is less than half the size of a standard Cym. Any thoughts?

Gage,

Was there any ID or vendor info included with your cym? That would resolve the mystery surrounding your plant. Perhaps you could ask the Publix employee about the vendor info if it's a NOID. Explain that you just want to know if you've got a heat tolerant cym or not, so they don't think you're trying to go around their back to buy cyms.

It could very well be that yours comes from another vendor than what I've seen at Publix stores in my area. Some of the Westerlay cyms I saw over Christmas weren't huge so a smaller plant size doesn't always mean it's heat tolerant.

Lowe's has been known to carry heat tolerant cyms that are grown in FL. I was hoping to score one but after Feb rolled passed the nursery manager told me that they didn't expect to get any this year due to the warmer winter we had. They usually carry them around Nov-Feb. Ask at your local Lowe's and see what they say.

The experts here have good info. And even if your plant doesn't bloom they are impressive looking plus you didn't pay a lot for it.

Happy growing!

[Gage]

Our Lowe's and Home Depot stores don't carry Cyms at all, at least not in the past few years. Other than the Better Grow Bulb orchids from Hawaii, I think most of our big box chids are grown in Homestead by Costa or Kerry's. I may ask The manager at Publix where they get there orchids. It has no tag whatsoever.

[Orchidaceae]

My first cymb was from Westerlay Orchids as well; a gorgeous red one, but noid. I tried to email them as well to find out its parentage, but to no avail. I doubt that the Publix people would know the name, if Westerlay can't even provide it. Good luck though!