Cymbidium (Cymbidium) - a beautiful flowering epiphytic orchid. In natural conditions it grows on trunks and tree branches, in the room it is grown on a special substrate. Homeland cymbidium Southeast Asia.
The plant is characterized by long, tapeworm leaves growing from pseudobulbs. Flowers are collected in large racemose inflorescences. With proper care, the flowering period is 3-4 months. Cymbidium belongs to the orchids of the sympodial type, that is, its development occurs due to numerous growth points.
See also how to grow Cattleya, Dendrobium and Wanda orchids.
Average growth rate. | |
Depending on the species, cymbidium can bloom in winter or spring. | |
the average difficulty of growing. Requires special care. | |
Perennial. |
Poisonous Orchid Cymbidium
All parts of cymbidium contain quinone. In direct contact with this substance, skin rashes appear. Therefore, when caring for the plant, it is recommended to use gloves. For the same reason, contact between children and pets with an orchid should be minimized.
Cymbidium: home care. Briefly
Cymbidium orchid at home requires strict adherence to care rules.
Temperature mode | In summer, + 25-30 °, in winter + 15 °. |
Air humidity | Needs daily spraying. |
Lighting | Bright, with little shading. |
Watering | In summer, intense, limited in winter. |
Primer for cymbidium orchid | Special substrate based on bark and moss. |
Fertilizer and fertilizer | During the period of intensive growth, special fertilizers for orchids. |
Cymbidium transplant | As it grows in the spring. |
Breeding | By dividing overgrown plants. |
Growing Features | Flowering requires a difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures. |
Cymbidium care at home. In detail
Care for cymbidium at home should be carried out taking into account the peculiarities of its growth and development.
Flowering orchid cymbidium
Depending on the species, cymbidium can bloom in winter or spring. To book flower buds, he needs a cool night. Plants kept at too high a temperature almost never bloom. Cymbidium flowers can be small or large.
They are assembled in erect or hanging brushes. The color of the flowers is simply amazing in its diversity: white, yellow, pink, red. Plain or in various color combinations. At the same time, brightly colored or spotted lip gives them a special decorative effect.
How to make cymbidium bloom?
In order for the cymbidium to bloom, it needs to create conditions as close as possible to natural:
- The difference between day and night temperature. This is the most important condition. To perform it, the plant in the summer can be taken out to the balcony or to the garden. Achieving differences in winter is somewhat more difficult. For example, an orchid for the night can be taken out to the insulated loggia. The main thing is that the temperature does not fall below + 5 °.
- A large amount of bright, diffused light. With a lack of lighting, there will be no flowering at all or it will be very scarce.
- Nutrition. Flowering may be absent with a lack of batteries.
Temperature mode
Cymbidium at home is grown at a moderate temperature. The plant will more easily endure cooling to + 5-8 °, than heat more than + 30 °.
In winter, the orchid is kept at + 15-18 °, in the summer, preferably not higher than + 25 °.
Spraying
During the period of intensive growth from March to September, cymbidium needs daily spraying with soft, warm water. In winter, spraying is stopped. To increase the humidity level in winter, small containers of water are placed next to the plant.
Lighting
The cymbidium plant at home is very demanding on the level of illumination. For normal development, he needs a large amount of bright light. At the same time, it should be protected from direct sunlight. Windows of southern orientation are best suited for its placement. In the summer, during hot midday hours, the orchid should be shaded.
Watering cymbidium
In the summer, the orchid is watered abundantly. So that the substrate is well saturated with water, use the immersion method. To do this, a pot with a plant is immersed in a basin or cup with warm, previously settled water for 30-40 minutes. After this, the cymbidium is pulled out and allowed to drain excess water.
In winter, the diving method is not recommended. Even slight overmoistening at low temperatures can lead to root decay. In winter, watered directly on the substrate. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that water does not fall on the bulbs. Watering is best done at the edge of the pot.
Cymbidium pot
Home cymbidium needs a fairly tight pot with a large number of drainage holes on the sides and bottom. In this case, the flowerpot can be made of transparent plastic or ceramic.
Priming
To grow cymbidium, you need a light, moisture-intensive substrate containing bark and moss. You can also purchase a ready-made soil mixture for peat orchids.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
Cymbidium care at home is carried out using top dressing. They are paid from March to September once every 2 weeks. When choosing top dressing, preference is given to organo-mineral complexes designed specifically for orchids.
Cymbidium transplant
Cymbidium transplantation is carried out once every 2-3 years in the spring strictly after the end of the flowering period. The plant is carefully knocked out of the pot. After that, its root system is inspected for the presence of decayed areas. Dead roots are removed with a sharp knife. The resulting sections are necessarily treated with charcoal or cinnamon powder.
After examining and processing the root system, the orchid is planted in a new, more spacious pot. During planting, they try to arrange the plant in the center, so that at the edges there is room for building new bulbs.
Pruning
Cymbidium does not need special pruning. During cultivation, only damaged and dried leaves are removed from the plant.
Rest period
In cymbidium, the rest period lasts from October to February. At this time, he needs a lowered temperature of no more than + 15 °. An orchid will form a sufficient number of flower buds only if this condition is met. During the rest period, the intensity of irrigation is significantly reduced. Orchid is watered no more than 1 time per month.
Growing Cymbidium Orchid from Seeds
Growing cymbidium from seeds in amateur floriculture is not practiced. For sowing, it is necessary to fulfill a number of difficult conditions. For example, complete sterility of the substrate and seeds is required. Conduct 100% disinfection without the use of special equipment and tools will not work.
Reproduction of cymbidium by division of the rhizome
Cymbidium at home can be propagated by dividing the rhizomes of overgrown plants. All breeding work must be planned for spring. A week before the proposed division, the orchid is no longer watered. After a slight drying of the substrate, the plant is carefully removed from the pot. Using a sharp, pre-sanitized knife, it is cut into several parts.
In addition, each of the delenoks should have at least 3-4 healthy, well-developed bulbs.
All sections formed are necessarily treated with ground cinnamon or charcoal powder. This treatment prevents the development of putrefactive processes. The resulting delenki are planted in pots with the usual substrate for cymbidium. The first two weeks they are watered very limitedly. Whenever possible, watering is best replaced by spraying.
Diseases and Pests
With errors in the conditions of keeping, the orchid can suffer from a number of problems:
- Black spots at the base of the leaves. Such signs indicate the development of a viral disease. Unfortunately, it is not treated, in order to prevent the infection of healthy plants, diseased specimens are immediately destroyed.
- The tips of the cymbidium leaves are dried. The problem occurs with damage to the root system as a result of a gulf or fungal infection.
- The buds have fallen. Thus, the plant responds to a sharp change in conditions. For example, to increase or decrease the temperature.
- Cymbidium turns yellow. Thus, the orchid reacts to the bay. The substrate should be slightly dried, and then do not violate the conditions of care.
- Leaves have lost elasticity. Orchid may be suffering from overheating of the root system. This problem occurs when placing a pot with a plant directly above the heating battery. The cymbidium pot must be rearranged in a cooler place, and the leaves must be intensively sprayed with warm water for several days to restore turgor.
- Cymbidium does not bloom. The lack of flowering is most often the result of wintering at elevated temperatures.
- Dry spots on the leaves of cymbidium. Perhaps the orchid received sunburn. In summer, when placed on the south side, the plant should be shaded.
Of the pests, cymbidium most often affects a spider mite and a mealybug.
Types of cymbidium orchids with photos and names
In indoor floriculture, many types of cymbidium are used:
Ivory Cymbidium, Cymbidium Eburneum
The species comes from Myanmar and China. Bulbs are quite thick, stem-shaped. The leaves are saturated green, narrow. The flowers are white in color, with a light aroma resembling lilacs.
Aloeelim cymbidium (Cymbidium aloifolium)
A miniature orchid with a height of not more than 30 cm. The flowers are light yellow in color, collected in hanging brushes.
Cymbidium lanceolate (Cymbidium lancifolium)
The species is valued for large, fragrant flowers up to 5 cm in size. Under natural conditions, grows in the mountainous areas of Southeast Asia.
Cymbidium mosquito (Cymbidium ensifolium)
Flowers of original yellowish-green color with well-defined red veins. The flowering period occurs in winter and early spring.
Cymbidium low (Cymbidium lowianum)
A popular species with long, powerful peduncles up to 1 meter long. When creating the appropriate conditions, each flower lasts up to 2 months. Based on Low, many hybrids and varieties are bred.
Cymbidium Daya (Cymbidium dayanum)
Species with pubescent peduncle native to the Philippines. Cream-colored flowers with a well-defined burgundy vein.
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