Miniature cymbidiums for the holidays

Sunset, Dec, 1994 by Lauren Bonar Swezey

Plants are in peak bloom this month, just in time for gift giving

OVER THE YEARS, cymbidiums have become a favorite of gardeners in mild-winter areas of the West. They're easy to grow, particularly in coastal gardens, and bloom with very little care. Their exquisite-looking flowers appear during drab winter months when other plants are dormant.

Standard cymbidiums grow 3 to 4 feet tall, have long strappy leaves, and produce large flowers 3 to 5 inches across. Bloom time for standards usually runs from early winter to spring.

Less well known are the miniatures, which bloom earlier than the standards; peak season--November to January--is just in time for the holidays.

Flowers are smaller (1 to 3 inches across) and appear in greater numbers than the standards', with some varieties producing as many as 42 flowers per spike. Some miniatures also may produce two spikes per bulb.

Plants are generally restrained in size. They're usually 1 1/2 to 2 feet tall, with flower spikes 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 feet long, although some plants from crosses between minis and standards (still referred to as minis because of the small flowers) are almost as large as standards.

In general, miniature cymbidiums are much more manageable than standard cymbidiums. Lauris Rose, of Cal-Orchid in Santa Barbara, likes minis because "you can display them without bringing in the great out-of-doors."

Carson Barnes, of the Rod McLellan Co. in South San Francisco, says. "They never turn into hogs. In a 16-inch container, standard cymbidiums weigh as much as 60 pounds, and you need a hand truck to move the containers around."

The Rod McLellan Co. prefers to grow their mini-cymbidiums in short 6-inch pots. When the plants outgrow the pots, the minis are divided and sections are replanted back into the same pots. Some gardeners opt for larger containers such as 2-gallon cans.

Many miniature cymbidiums have another advantage over standard cymbidiums: they tolerate higher temperatures, allowing them to grow in a wider range of climates, such as those of inland areas.

BIG NEWS IN FLOWER COLOR, FRAGRANCE, AND REPEAT BLOOM

"Just 10 years ago, we didn't have the variety of colors we have now in miniatures," explains Gary Gallup, of Gallup & Stribling Orchids in Carpinteria, California. "Colors were muddy. With the new hybrids, we now have clear pinks, greens, yellows, and reds. We're still not quite there on the whites, which have pinkish or greenish undertones."

In fact, miniature cymbidiums are available in nearly every color but blue and true black. New colors include oranges and apricots. Most miniature cymbidiums have darker, contrasting lips. But you'll also find a few albino flowers--with no contrasting lip color--such as Golden Elf 'Sundust', a clear yellow shown on page 64, and Lovely Bunny 'Othello'.

Other developments in the improvement of miniature cymbidiums are fragrance, repeat bloom, and heat tolerance, derived from hybridizing plants with a species native to India and Southern China. All of these characteristics are found in Golden Elf 'Sundust' and Peter Pan 'Greensleeves' (which is green with a maroon lip), and in 'Nut' (light tan to chocolate brown).

This new group will bloom when nighttime temperatures are in the upper 50s, a characteristic that makes it possible for them to bloom in bright atriums. They also are small (about 14 inches tall).

WHERE DO CYMBIDIUMS GROW?

If you live in Sunset Western Garden Book zones 15 to 24--from coastal Northern California to San Diego---cymbidiums are a cinch to grow, as long as they're protected from temperatures below 30 [degrees] and given bright light, but not midday sun (healthy leaves should be light green, not dark). When temperatures drop below freezing, the best place for cymbidiums is under the eaves or beneath a patio cover.

In hot inland areas and colder climates, cymbidiums need extra care, Since miniature cymbidiums tolerate higher temperatures than standards, they do better in inland areas. But they'll need watering more often there than in cooler climates, or a more humid environment during hot spells.

In the Northwest or at elevations where winter temperatures are cold, you can leave cymbidiums outdoors until Thanksgiving (watch the thermometer) and then bring them indoors to a bright location. This should give them the chilling--a differential of at least 20 [degrees]--they need to set flower spikes. Come March or April, the plants go outdoors again. The other option is a cool greenhouse, or choose one of the new heat-tolerant hybrids more suited to indoor culture.

WATER AND FERTILIZE REGULARLY

Besides bright light, cymbidiums need regular water and fertilizer to produce a mass of blooms. Plants growing in 1- to 2-gallon cans in coastal areas usually need watering about once a week. In short 6-inch pots or in warmer areas, water two to three times a week. Each time you water, soak the potting mix thoroughly; avoid getting water on the leaves. Cut back on watering during the winter.

Most orchid growers recommend fertilizing with high nitrogen (30-10-10 or 25-9-9) from New Year's to the Fourth of July (winter to summer) and low nitrogen (6-30-30 or 6-25-25) from the Fourth of July to the holidays. Apply it weekly, diluting it by half the recommended rate (unless the label already lists a dilution for weekly feedings). If you don't want to bother with two fertilizers, use 20-20-20 all year. Make sure the potting medium is moist before fertilizing.