Can Cymbidiums be grown in St. Louis?
 

We don't see a lot of cymbidiums in St. Louis, we get rather intense heat in the summer and cold in the winter, and our local orchid society and annual auction don't seem to emphasize them at all. I recently got a greenhouse and want to expand what I can grow and really love these orchids. Any suggestions? I would hate to invest in a plant only to slowly torture it to death. Cats and phals do very well in the greenhouse.

Thanks.

Some of our experienced growers in Phoenix have success with Australian species and their hybrids, and the subtropical species from southeast Asia.

You can grow anything anywhere if you're willing to pay the electric bill........

In my not so long experience, cymbs can take almost everything, except frost. But if you have a greenhouse, I agree with Subrosa.

There are warmth tolerant Cyms that don't require a period of cool nights to induce spiking.

I don't know what the weather is like there - non-warmth tolerant Cyms need a period (about 2 months, I think) of cool NIGHT temps in late summer - fall to induce spikes. So, if you get cool night temps later in the year (low 50s or less), that should work.

This sticky post http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ure-links.html has links to some basic Cym culture info.

Yes, you should be able to grow Cyms. As has been pointed out, they will need a cool down period in late summer - fall, continued cool but not freezing in winter as spikes develop. Moderate to strong light during the cool down too. If you can provide those conditions, go for it!

Cyms in St louis
 

Yes you can grow them but, it takes a little work. I usually grow mine out side in the summer with east sun and shaded in the afternoon. I water heavily and feed often. Then in early Sept. I give 1 feed of bloom food and stop feeding. I
leave them outside until temps reach the low 40's at which
time they come in to reside in my cool basement under florescent lights. I have had some success doing this.

They can be outdoors as soon as risk of frost is over, and stay out till first snow (or threat of real frost).

If you rig a sprinkler with electronic timer, so they get a spritz every day (couple of minutes late morning should be enough), you can grow them in full sun.

Cymbidium should have yellowish leaves. If they are green, they are not getting enough light.