Botanical species of the Cymbidium genus, described by John Lindley in 1859, with a distribution that covers Indian Assam, the eastern Himalayas, in Nepal and Buthan, western Himalayas, in Myanmar, China and Vietnam. Cymbidium Erythraeum prefers steep slopes in evergreen, open, moss-populated forests, at altitudes of 1000 to 2400 m, in epiphytic or lithophilic habitats.

The accepted synonyms for this species are Cymbidium erythraeum var. flavum (ZJLiu & J.Yong Zhang) ZJLiu, SCChen & PJCribb 2009; Cymbidium flavum ZJLiu & J.Yong Zhang 2002; Cymbidium hennisianum Schltr. 1918; Cymbidium longifolium Lindley 1833; Cyperorchis hennissiana (Schltr.) Schltr. 1924; Cyperorchis longifolia (D. Don) Schltr. 1924.

Small to large species, Cymbidium Erythraeum possesses ovoid pseudobulbs, bilaterally compressed, which bear 5 - 9 linear-oblong, distichous leaves, which gradually narrow towards the tip, and which are inserted 3 - 6 cm on them.

Flowering takes place in late summer until early autumn, on suberect, almost arched 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 greenish-brown petals and sepals, with brown and red stripes. The labellum has a white or yellowish-white background color, with cream callus and yellow column. The side lobes have red veins.

The brightness preferred by this species is medium to strong, being in the range of 15,000 - 25,000 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 the summer, and 40 - 50% during the winter.

The culture medium and the substrate will ensure efficient drainage and will have a heavy structure and large grain, being able to use in this sense 60% pine bark of grain 20+, mixed with coconut fiber and sand, completing with 30% earth peat.

It is recommended to change the culture 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 culture medium, as a rule, every 2 years, in order to maintains a favorable pH of approximately 5.5 - 6.5. The increase in pH will not allow the plants to effectively assimilate nutrients, such as iron, thus leading to the discoloration of the leaves and their yellowing. Moreover, such conditions lead to the accumulation of salts from either fertilizer or poor quality water, the accumulation occurring at a much higher rate than the ability of the plants to metabolize these salts and ultimately leading to the burning of the roots. A good indicator of the need for intervention by changing the substrate is the appearance of mycelium and mold in the substrate, the rotting or wilting of new growth or the base of the pseudobulbs. The indicated period for transplantation is represented by the time of development of new growths, when they will be approximately 5 cm and will be capable of generating their own roots (March - April).

Irrigation will be carried out with a frequency of 1-2 times a week, depending massively on the light intensity and temperature. When the brightness is high, the substrate will be kept permanently moist, almost wet, and when shade conditions are present, irrigation will be reduced to a minimum, to prevent the installation of root rot.

Fertilization will involve the administration of diluted fertilizers, possibly granular, with gradual release, preferring nitrogen and phosphate in the spring, ideally at least 10 days before the development of the roots of new growth. Non-specific fertilizers can be used in liquid form, administered weekly or with each watering, respecting a degree of dilution of 50% compared to the indications on the packaging. A correct formula is represented by equal proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Cymbidium Erythraeum does not require a period of rest to stimulate flowering, but it is possible to reduce irrigation 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 with the appearance of new growth, in the spring.

Discover the entire range of orchids from Secret Garden here (link)

Do you want to see more articles and accumulate more knowledge? This article is offered for free, but you can support secretgarden.ro with a review here:

Google: Review on Google

Facebook: Facebook review