Orchid cymbidium: description, types, care

Cymbidium is a plant from the orchid family. Originally from tropical and subtropical forests of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Northern Australia. Refers to epiphytes - representatives of the flora that grow on tree trunks, but do not parasitize on them. Some species are lithophytes growing on stones or earth. As an indoor flower, it is valued for its elegant hanging shape and fragrant flowers.

Cymbidium Orchid Overview

The growth of cymbidium from 20 cm to 1 m, depending on the variety. The root system is powerful, extending vertically into the depths. The stems grow from oval pseudobulbs collected in close groups, reaching 15 cm. The leaves are leathery, dark green in color, long and narrow, with sharp ends.

Peduncles are produced directly from the bulbs, at the ends they form racemose inflorescences. Each flower consists of sepals and petals, usually not different from each other, and a three-lobed lip. Size, shade and shape vary greatly depending on the variety.

Types of Cymbidium Orchids

In nature, there are many varieties of this orchid, but not all of them are suitable for growing at home. Among the most common in floriculture, the following species are most often found.

Features of indoor growing cymbidium

Orchids, the inhabitants of the high tropics, are considered rather capricious plants.

Cymbidium is one of the most unpretentious plants of its kind, but still very demanding.

Proper care of a flower when growing a house implies the creation of a microclimate inherent in its places of origin. For example, this orchid is in great need of a large amount of diffused light - without it, the leaves turn pale, and flowering does not occur. In addition, she is accustomed to moist tropical heat, and dryness in an ordinary room is fatal for her.

It is also important to ensure a seasonal difference in lighting, temperature and air humidity and a temperature difference day and night - without this mini-stress, cymbidium will not bloom.

Conditions:

Watering

Cymbidium is very demanding on the state of the substrate in the pot. If it dries, the plant refuses to bloom and begins to lose its attractive appearance. With waterlogging, there is a risk that the roots will begin to rot. Therefore, during the growth period, it is necessary to carefully monitor the soil - it should be slightly moist.

For irrigation take soft filtered water at room temperature (+ 25 ... +27 ° C). Excess fluid accumulating in the sump is immediately poured.

In addition, from time to time conduct spraying with warm water from the shower, wiping after that excess moisture from the leaves and leaf sinuses.

In addition to the classical method of watering and showering, the substrate is moistened through drainage holes by immersion. For this, the pot is placed in water for 40 minutes. The level should reach the border of the substrate.

When watering, you need to take into account the seasonal rhythms of the orchid. So, in autumn and winter it is required less often, and in the cold season it is recommended to increase the water temperature by 2 ... 3 ° С.

Pot selection, soil and top dressing

Successful cultivation of cymbidium will require an unusual capacity. Characteristics of an ideal pot:

• Transparency - a plant absorbs light from its roots.
• An elongated shape that suits the characteristics of the root system.
• The presence of large drainage holes in the bottom and in the walls for good air exchange.

The most suitable pot is a vase, made of transparent plastic. It may be clay, but then the roots run the risk of not getting enough light, and the container itself will have to be broken when transplanted.

Keep in mind that orchids do not like when there is too much free space in the pot. The distance from the roots to the walls should not be more than 3 cm, and to the bottom - more than 5 cm.

The substrate for cymbidium is also not an ordinary soil, which is used for other indoor flowers. The optimal composition includes crushed coniferous bark, sphagnum, leafy soil, sand, perlite and charcoal in a proportion of 3: 2: 1: 1: 1: 1, respectively.

If there is no way to mix it yourself, you can purchase a ready-made mix for ground orchids in the store.

You need to feed the plant by adding complex fertilizers for orchids to the water for irrigation. In this case, take a proportion of half that indicated on the package. It is recommended to do this every second watering, but not during flowering - during this period, fertilizing is contraindicated.

Transfer

A plant should be transplanted when the roots become cramped. If the pot is transparent, it is visible to the eye. If not, you need to monitor when the roots begin to protrude from the drainage holes. In addition, transplantation is required for resuscitation if the plant becomes ill.

The new pot should not be much larger than the previous one - just add 3-4 cm to the width and 5 cm to the depth.

The transplant must be carried out step by step:

• Carefully remove the plant from the pot, being careful not to damage the roots and bulbs. If the pot is clay, you have to break it.
• Carefully clean out excess substrate, cut off rotten and damaged roots. Healthy - yellow, firm and elastic to the touch.
• Rinse the rhizome with warm water, treat the wounds with crushed activated carbon.
• Lay a layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot, sprinkle with fresh substrate on top.
• Place the plant in a pot and add the remaining substrate to the same level as in the previous place. Do not deepen - the roots should be visible at 1 cm.
• Do not water for several days. Spray or wipe leaves as needed.

Flowering: care during and after

Often flower growers complain that they cannot make the cymbidium bloom. That's because for this he needs a number of conditions:

• the temperature in the room is not higher than +22 ° C;
• obligatory difference between day and night temperature - at least 4 ° С;
• plenty of light, but protection from direct sunlight.

It should also be borne in mind that different varieties bloom at different times of the year.

Flowering takes a lot of energy, so after it the plant begins a dormant period. Ideally, an orchid draws nutrients from an old peduncle, and it begins to turn yellow and dry. At this moment, pruning can be done - the peduncle is removed, leaving a piece of 1-1.5 cm long at the base.

Sometimes it happens that new buds appear on the peduncle.

Letting it bloom a second time in a row is not recommended - such stress can lead to illness or even death. Therefore, the cut should be done immediately.

Breeding

The easiest and most productive method of propagation is dividing the bush. In order not to disturb the cymbidium in vain, it is best to carry it out during the next transplant.

The rhizome, cleaned from the ground and washed with water, should be carefully untangled, which can cause difficulties - at the base of the pseudobulb it is usually tightly woven. After that, you can start dividing. Each part must contain at least three bulbs, and at least one of them needs to have well-developed roots. Such a share will not have difficulty rooting.

After dividing and removing the damaged areas of the roots, the wounds need to be treated with coal - and you can start planting in separate pots. Caring for new plants is no different from relying on a newly transplanted cymbidium.

This orchid can also be grown from an old, faded and discarded pseudobulb leaves. For this, the bulb is placed in a container on a wet mixture of crushed bark and moss-sphagnum and kept in a dark warm place, periodically spraying with water. After the appearance of the sprout and roots, the plant is planted in a pot.

Florists are sometimes interested in growing this flower from seeds. But at home it is almost impossible - in order for the seeds to sprout, special conditions are necessary, including strict temperature conditions, humidity and acidity. Even with their thorough implementation, the percentage of germination and survival of sprouts is very low.

Mr. Dachnik explains: mistakes in caring for the cymbidium orchid and their elimination

If a plant begins to lose its beautiful appearance, these are not always signs of disease or pest attacks. Often the reason is care errors.

Diseases and pests, methods of elimination

At times, cymbidium becomes a victim of various diseases and pest attacks.