Botanical species of the genus Cymbidium, described by John Lindley in 1859, with distribution covering Indian Assam, eastern Himalayas, in Nepal and Bhutan, western Himalayas, in Myanmar, China, and Vietnam. Cymbidium Erythraeum prGrows on steep slopes in evergreen forests, open, moss-populated, at altitudes from 1000 to 2400 m, in epiphytic or lithophytic stations.
The accepted synonyms for this species are Cymbidium erythraeum var. flavum (Z.J.Liu & J.Yong Zhang) Z.J.Liu, S.C.Chen & P.J.Cribb 2009; Cymbidium flavum Z.J.Liu & J.Yong Zhang 2002; Cymbidium hennisianum Schltr. 1918; Cymbidium longifolium Lindley 1833; Cyperorchis hennisiana (Schltr.) Schltr. 1924; Cyperorchis longifolia (D.Don) Schltr. 1924.
A small to large sized species, Cymbidium Erythraeum has ovoid pseudobulbs, bilaterally compressed, bearing 5 - 9 linear-oblong, distichous leaves, which gradually narrow towards the tip, and are inserted 3 - 6 cm apart on them.
Flowering occurs from late summer to early autumn, on suberect, almost curved or horizontal stems, in the form of long (25 - 75 cm) racemose inflorescences bearing 5 - 14 fragrant flowers, provided with lanceolate, acute, and triangular bracts. The flowers measure 8 cm in diameter, with greenish or brownish-green petals and sepals, with brown and red stripes. The labellum has a white or creamy-white background color, with a cream callus and a yellow column. The lateral lobes show red venation.
The preferred light intensity for this species is medium to strong, ranging between 15000 - 25000 lux.
From a thermal point of view, Cymbidium erythraeum requires temperatures between 18 - 24 °C during the day and 10 - 16 °C at night.
The required humidity is 50 - 60% during summer, and 40 - 50% during winter.
The growing medium and substrate will ensure efficient drainage and will have a heavy structure and large granulation, being able to use 60% pine bark with 20+ granulation, mixed with coconut fiber and sand, complemented with 30% peat soil.
It is recommended to change the growing containers only if absolutely necessary - for example, in the case of irrigation with water from the distribution network, whose pH is high, it will be necessary to change the growing medium, usually at intervals of 2 years, to maintain a favorable pH of approximately 5.5 - 6.5. An increase in pH will not allow the plants to efficiently assimilate nutrients such as iron, thus leading to leaf discoloration and yellowing. Moreover, such conditions lead to the accumulation of salts either from fertilizer or from poor quality water, with accumulation occurring at a much higher rate than the plants' capacity to metabolize these salts, ultimately causing root burn. A good indicator of the need for intervention by changing the substrate is the appearance of mycelium and mold in the substrate, rotting or shriveling of new growths or the base of pseudobulbs. The indicated period for transplanting is the time of new growth development, when they are about 5 cm and capable of generating their own roots (March - April).
Watering will be done with a frequency of 1 - 2 times per week, heavily depending on light intensity and temperature. When brightness is high, the substrate will be kept constantly moist, almost wet, and when shade conditions are present, watering will be reduced to a minimum to prevent root rot.
Fertilization will involve administering diluted fertilizers, possibly granular with slow release, preferring nitrogen and phosphate in the spring period, ideally at least 10 days before the development of new root growth. Non-specific liquid fertilizers can be used, applied weekly or at each watering, respecting a dilution rate of 50% compared to the instructions on the packaging. A correct formula is represented by equal proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Cymbidium Erythraeum does not require a rest period to stimulate flowering, but it is possible to reduce watering during the winter, provided that the substrate is not allowed to dry out completely. At the same time, fertilization can be reduced or stopped during this period, returning to the usual routine once new growth appears in spring.
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