Cymbidiella Info?
Frank and Hilary
I saw Cymbidiella rhodochila (syn. pardalina) for sale
recently. It is a very attractive plant. Is there anyone out
there who has one or who knows about them? If you could tell
me about their culture and the mature plant's height, I'd be
very thankful.
Sincerely,
Hilary
--
Frank Stendal
mailto:gbl...@teleport.com
http://www.teleport.com/~gblastn
Jeffrey Kirby
: I saw Cymbidiella rhodochila (syn. pardalina) for sale
: there who has one or who knows about them? If you could tell
Cymbidiella is a genus that was originally included in Cymbidium, due to
the similar vegetative appearence.
I quote from Hillerman, Fred and Arthur Holst's _An Introduction to the
Cultivated Angraecoid Orchids of Madagascar_:
"This species grows in and with the fern Platycerium madagascariensis at
low altitudes in eastern Madagascar."
I had a seedling of this once. Happy little thing until multiple
arthropod species attacked it all at once and bumped it off within a
couple of weeks. There is one at the botanical conservatory here (UC
Davis) that was collected with its "host" plant (they apparently don't
grow outside the Platyceriums often at all, if ever) and bloomed this
last spring (and was selfed, and the Platycerium is being propagated as
well). They are beautiful plants which are about the size of a medium to
small Cymbidium (40-85cm leaves according to Fred and Arthur).
Now that I've rambled, the cultural requirements are:
1) Don't disturb the roots, if possible.
2) Light: medium (1-2k footcandles)
3) They don't need the fern after they are approximately 2 inches in size
(I bought mine from someone who managed to propagate them in flasks after
years of trying).
4) They do well in either fir bark or husky fiber or slabbed with their
host fern (Fred and Arthur)
5) Plants do not seem to require dryoff or cooling period.
6) "Watering is done once a week unless conditions are cool and damp or
very hot and dry."
If you don't know what the flowers look like... largish, around 10 to an
inflorescence, mostly green sepals and petals with heavy brown spotting
on the petals and a bright red labellum. The inflorescence lasts several
weeks to a couple months.
I think that's it...
-J
----------------------------- -----
Jeffrey A. Kirby -- Jester of Xanadu -- jak...@ucdavis.edu
"Let's play the music, not the background!"
- Ornette Coleman
Felix Neumaier
>Hi,
>I saw Cymbidiella rhodochila (syn. pardalina) for sale
>recently. It is a very attractive plant. Is there anyone out
>there who has one or who knows about them? If you could tell
>very thankful.
>Sincerely,
>Hilary
>
>--
>Frank Stendal
>mailto:gbl...@teleport.com
>http://www.teleport.com/~gblastn
>
>
Hi Frank/Hilary,
I have one C. r.. I bought it blooming 18 months ago. Since then it grew
a second bulb, that is bigger than the firstone (2", leaves max. 2').
Cymlla. r. comes from Madagascar where it is endemic. On the island it
grows mostly if not only together with (on/in) Platicerium
madagascariensis. P.m. is a staghorn farn also endemic to Madagascar. My
plant is realyy growing out-of Platicerium. C.r. is quite rare out of
Madagascar and not commonly offered (also here in Europe where I live)
It lives on trees in branches, in moderate shade (?). Likes constant
humidity (as staghorns do) and blooms in late spring. Hillerman (
a US capacity, read his book) reports, that C. r. can successfully be
grown in pots in fir bark mix. Once it has grown out of youthstadium it
can be separated from its Platicerium, or grown from seeds apart from
Platic.
My plant grew its second bulb on a windowsill, South direction slightly
shaded in summer, kept humid by a ultrasonic humidifier (real mist,
cold). But it has not bloomed this spring. It was originally planted in a
claypot in its Platicerium. I have now repotted it (them) into a wooden
basket, covered it with sphagnum and hung it under a mercury bulb in a
corner, where it is very humid. So it can get enough light, but no
direct sun. hope now it will bloom next spring.
Hope this helped you.
Felix Neumaier, Switzerland