Cymbidium is a perennial evergreen plant from the Orchidaceae family. It grows in the alpine subtropical forests of Australia and Asia. Cymbidiums have been cultivated for over 2000 years. In Japan and China, many varieties are grown in homes and gardens because of delicate beautiful flowers and a surprisingly pleasant aroma. Of course, caring for an orchid cannot be called simple, but mastering it is not so difficult. Usually, gardeners are afraid to plant only the first orchid. Often a whole kindergarten of various plant species appears after it.
Botanical Description
Cymbidium is an epiphytic or lithophytic plant. It is found on snags and branches of large trees, as well as in crevices of rocks at an altitude of about 2 km above sea level. The roots of cymbidium resemble fleshy white strands, which are more needed for fixation than for nutrition. They grow from the end of oblong pseudobulbs. This is the name for the thickening of the lower part of the trunk, in which fluid and nutrients accumulate.
Ovoid pseudobulbs 1-15 cm tall are quite dense, they are colored green and wrapped in leaves. Often plants are interconnected by short horizontal stems, forming a dense group. Linear bright green leaves end with a blunt or rounded edge. Leathery foliage with a smooth surface in length is 30-90 cm. One leaf rosette lasts up to three years, after which it gradually dries and dies, giving way to younger leaves.
Flowering of cymbidiums occurs mainly from February to May and lasts about a month. From the center of the leaf rosette grows a bare, thin peduncle up to 1.5 m long. A loose drooping brush crowns its top, on which 5-30 fragrant flowers with delicate wax petals are collected. The size and appearance of the flower can vary greatly depending on the species and variety. The diameter of the opened bud is 5-12 cm. In general, the inflorescence lives up to 8-10 weeks. When all the flowers have opened, it can be cut. In a vase, cymbidium feels great.
Petals can be painted in white, cream, yellow, pink, purple, scarlet or brown. Linear or wide-oval bracts surround a medium-sized curved lip with a contrasting speck and a white or yellowish disc. In indoor conditions, pollination and fruiting does not occur.
Popular views
Cymbidium orchid is represented by almost 50 species. In addition to them, there are many natural hybrids and decorative varieties. They may differ in size, color of leaves and flowers, as well as exuded aroma.
Cymbidium dwarf. The compact epiphyte has ovoid pseudobulbs up to 3 cm long. Narrow linear leaflets are bent outward and painted in emerald color. Their length does not exceed 20 cm and a width of 2 cm. A thin, erect peduncle carries up to 20 star-shaped flowers with a diameter of 8-10 cm. Petals of red-brown color are bordered by a narrow yellow stripe. In the center is a curved white lip with small reddish spots.
Cymbidium is noticeable. A ground or lithophytic orchid grows oval leaves up to 70 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. Erect peduncles grow by 50-80 cm. In their upper part there is a racemose inflorescence with 10-15 flowers with a diameter of 7-9 cm. Linear bracts are painted white or light pink color. The scalloped lip is covered with thin purple stripes and dots.
Cymbidium Day. An epiphytic plant with narrow bright green leaves and long, thin peduncles, on which 5-15 small flowers with a diameter of 5 cm bloom. On long narrow white petals in the center there is a bright red strip. A narrow white lip is bent outward.
Cymbidium giant. One of the largest epiphytic plants grows ovoid bulbs up to 15 cm high. They are wrapped in several rows of scaly leaves. Linear-lanceolate foliage with a pointed edge grows 60 cm in length and 3 cm in width. Massive, strong peduncles at the base are hidden by foliage, on their tops in a loose brush about 60 cm long, 10-15 flowers are concentrated. Fragrant buds with a diameter of 10-12 cm consist of narrow yellowish-green petals, densely covered with purple longitudinal stripes. On the creamy wavy lip are shapeless reddish-brown spots.
Cymbidium mosquito. The species grows on rocks and land. Small linear leaflets are painted dark green. In February-April, fragrant inflorescences bloom on a peduncle 15-65 cm long.In one inflorescence there are 3-9 flowers with a diameter of up to 5 cm.Light yellow petals are covered with burgundy veins, and the greenish lip in the middle part has a thick dark red pattern.
Cymbidium aloe. A compact epiphytic plant up to 30 cm high, thanks to a dense group of pseudobulbs, forms a wide bush. Belted foliage frames a peduncle up to 40 cm long. Yellow flowers with a diameter of up to 4.5 cm are covered with a plentiful pattern on the central part. Flowering occurs from January to June.
Cymbidium is yellowish white. Alpine variety is common in the Himalayas. Orchid forms a tall bush with linear narrow leaves and peduncles. Fragrant flowers grow up to 7.5 cm in diameter. Surrounded by snow-white or creamy petals, there is a relief curved lip with tiny yellow spots on the crest.
Cymbidium propagation
Growing cymbidium from seeds, like any other orchid, is quite difficult. Special equipment, sterile conditions and a nutrient medium of a certain acidity are needed. Often seeds lacking a protective endosperm germinate only in symbiosis with fungi. Seedlings require constant attention and very specific conditions of detention.
It is much easier to propagate cymbidium vegetatively, by separating the pseudobulb during the transplant. The plant is removed from the pot and the roots are completely free from the substrate. The rhizome located at the very walls often tangles and forms a dense ball. Efforts must be made to disassemble it. With a sharp, sterilized blade, dry roots and damaged areas are removed. The stems between the pseudobulbs are also cut. In each dividend, at least 2-3 shoots should remain. The place of cut is dipped with crushed charcoal and planted in small pots with fresh substrate.
Seedlings are kept at high humidity and regularly sprayed, but you can not water them until young shoots appear. The air temperature during rooting should be + 20 ... + 28 ° C. It is also necessary to provide intense diffused lighting.
Transplant Features
The transplant procedure is quite painful for the plant, so it is carried out as rarely as possible. If the bush has grown rapidly and the rhizomes have completely filled the pot (approximately once every 3-4 years), a transplant is needed. It is impossible to take the container "for growth" immediately. The soil mixture for cymbidium is composed of the following components:
- chopped pine bark;
- rotted peat;
- sphagnum moss;
- sand;
- pieces of charcoal.
The bottom of the pot is covered with drainage material. If rotten bulbs and roots are found, they are carefully cut and treated with activated carbon or ground cinnamon. Planting pseudobulb produce the same depth. After transplanting, the plant is not watered for several days. In those years when transplantation is not planned, only the upper part of the substrate is replaced.
Home Care
In order for cymbidium not only to grow, but also to bloom regularly, it is necessary to ensure optimal conditions of detention.
Lighting. This genus of orchids is quite photophilous, but does not tolerate direct sunlight. In winter, cymbidiums can be placed on the windowsill, and if necessary, use phytolamps. In summer, plants are placed in the back of the room and shaded from the midday sun. An increase and decrease in the duration of daylight hours should occur gradually, otherwise the orchid will stop flowering and lose some of the leaves.
Temperature. Cymbidium prefers moderately warm contents. He feels best at + 18 ... + 22 ° C. In winter, cooling is allowed up to + 15 ... + 18 ° C during the day and up to + 12 ° C at night. In colder conditions, the plant will die. In summer, heat over + 27 ... + 30 ° C exhausts the flower. At any time of the year, you should try to ensure daily temperature fluctuations within 3-4 ° C.
Humidity. Orchids need to provide high humidity throughout the year. In winter, additional humidifiers will be needed to compensate for the effect of heating appliances. Regular spraying is recommended. Pots are best placed next to aquariums, small fountains or trays with wet expanded clay. For spraying, use well-purified, soft water. It is important to ensure that it does not collect in drops on flowers and leaves. In the summer, plants are taken to fresh air to ensure optimal humidity and air temperature.
Watering. Water cymbidium is necessary as the top of the soil dries. With intensive lighting and warm content, watering is carried out 1-2 times a week. It is necessary to find a balance between the stagnation of water in the soil mixture and the complete drying of the substrate. For irrigation use purified warm water. 15-20 minutes after the procedure, water is removed from the pan.
Fertilizers Throughout the year, cymbidium is fed monthly with mineral complexes for orchids. When growing new leaves, compositions with a high nitrogen content are preferred. Before flowering, nitrogen reduces and increases potassium. Directly during flowering, top dressing is stopped. The solution is poured into the ground after normal watering.
Possible difficulties
Sometimes flower growers are faced with the fact that cymbidium does not bloom. The reason for this may be too high air temperature. It should be reduced to + 20 ... + 22 ° C. It is equally important to provide night cooling at 4-5 ° C. In order not to exert too much effort to create the necessary temperature regime, in spring and summer the flowers are taken outside to a place protected from drafts and precipitation.
When kept in a cool room or stagnant water in the soil, cymbidium suffers from rot. The appearance of mosaic spots on the foliage indicate a viral disease. Swelling of the leaves may also develop, which is manifested by pinpoint growths on the leaf plate. It is almost impossible to save the affected plants. At an early stage of the disease, trimming of damaged parts, fungicide treatment and transplantation sometimes helps. Be sure to adjust the conditions of detention.
Periodically, flowers are invaded by spider mites, aphids, and scale insects. In this case, an insecticide treatment should be carried out immediately.
