Most orchids growing in the same region and under similar circumstances than Cymbidiums, should thrive.

Orchids growing in other regions of the world with similar climatic conditions should be adaptable. The regions will lie within latitudes of 23º and 30º north (and similarly south) of the equator, have elevations of about 1000 to 2800m above sea level, have seasonal high rainfall and cool, dry winters and will not have unreasonably extreme temperature fluctuations.

 

Orchids growing in the higher parts of central and northern Mexico, in the northern hemisphere and of Queensland, Australia, Southern Africa, Southern Brazil, and Paraguay in the southern hemisphere are in question.

 

Orchids having a very wide distribution and growing under diverse conditions, will be more adaptable.

 

Some orchids from high elevations, say 2500m+ nearer or at the equator, may acclimatise to sub-tropical growing conditions. These areas are the higher lying areas in the Far East, tropical Africa and in the Andes Mountain range in South America. It should, however, be noted that these areas are not generally subjected to large fluctuations in climatic conditions, and are generally evenly cool (maximum possibly 25ºC) and very humid year round.

 

Hybrids are generally more adaptable to cultivation, especially if one or more of the parental species originate in the regions mentioned above.

 

Orchids from low lying tropical regions will in all probability not be suitable for cultivation with Cymbidiums.

 

In general Cymbidiums and Cymbidium companions will not grow well in humid, low lying tropical areas.

HARDY ORCHID SPECIES:

In the table below are listed hardy, or semi-hardy orchid species suitable as Cymbidium companions. Adaptations needed for better culture are also summarised. Unless specifically mentioned, pot plants up in pots as for Cymbidiums. The orchids marked with a star should not be subjected to temperatures lower than about 5ºC.

The two Cymbidium species mentioned in the table are very charming miniature species which are not particularly easy to grow but well worth the effort.

Christo Page

P.O. Box 32167

Glenstantia

0010

(All photographs by Christo Page)

HARDY AND SEMI-HARDY ORCHID SPECIES

Genus and Species	Origin	Cultural Adaptations
*Not lower than about 5°C
Acanthephippium sylhetense	Cym region	Terrestrial - well drained compost, more shade
* Ada aurantiaca	High elev. Andes	More shade, cooler in summer
* Angraecum magdalenae	High elev Madagascar	Cool, not cold in winter
Angraecum sororium	High elev Madagascar	Very well drained medium. High light.
* Barkeria lindleyana	Intermed elev Mexico	Very well drained medium.
*Barkeria skinneri	Intermed elev Mexico	Very well drained medium.
* Bifrenaria harrisoniae	Southern Brazil	Not to dry and cold in winter
* Bifrenaria tetragona	Southern Brazil	Not to dry and cold in winter
* Bifrenaria tyrianthina	Southern Brazil	Not to dry and cold in winter
Bletilla striata	Temperate China & Japan	Will also grow in soil in garden
Brassavola flagellaris	Southern Brazil, Mexico &	Mount, high light & humidity
Brassavola nodosa	Central America	Mount, high light & humidity
* Brassia caudata	Wide spread - S. America	Well drained medium, humid, not to cold
* Brassia verrucosa	Wide spread - S. America	Well drained medium, humid, not to cold
* Bulbophyllum rothschildianum	India	Well drained medium, humid, not to cold
* Cattleya aurantiaca	Mexico, Cental America	Well drained medium
* Cattleya forbesii	Southern Brazil	Well drained medium
* Cattleya intermedia	Southern Brazil, Uruguay &	Well drained medium
	Paraguay
* Cattleya loddigesii	Southern Brazil & Paraguay	Well drained medium
* Cattleya maxima	Andes - Ecuador & Peru	Well drained medium
Coelogyne cristata	Cym. Region	Cool, dry in winter
Coelogyne flaccida	Cym. Region	Cool, dry in winter
Coelogyne fimbriata	Cym. Region	Cool, dry in winter
Cymbidium devonianum	Cym region	Perfect drainage, cool in summer
Cymbidium tigrinum	Cym region	Perfect drainage, cool in summer
Cyrtopodium andersonii	Wide spread, South America	Terrestrial - well drained, sandy soil, dry in winter
Cyrtopodium paranaense	Brazil coast	Terrestrial - well drained, sandy soil, dry in winter
Dendrobiums from Section Dendrobium (soft cane Dendrobiums)
Dendrobium nobile	± Cym region & wide spread	High light, ± dry in winter
Dendrobium wardianum	± Cym region & wide spread	High light, ± dry in winter
Dendrobium findlayanum	± Cym region & wide spread	High light, ± dry in winter
* Dendrobium parishii	± Cym region, wide spread	High light, ± dry in winter
* Dendrobium primulinum	± Cym region, wide spread	High light, ± dry in winter
Dendrobium aphyllum	± Cym region, wide spread	High light, ± dry in winter
Dendrobium crepidatum	± Cym region, wide spread	High light, ± dry in winter
Dendrobium falconeri	± Cym region, wide spread	Mounted, bright light, humid atmosphere
Dendrobium lituiflorum	Wide spread	Mounted or basket
Dendrobium loddigessii	± Cym region, wide spread	Mounted, cool dry winter
Dendrobium heterocarpum	Wide spread, India to China
Dendrobium chryseum
( = flaviforum)	± Cym region
Dendrobiums from Section Callista
* Dendrobium chrysotoxum	Wide spread, SE Asia to China	Bright light, humid in winter
Dendrobium densiflorum	Cym region	Easy
Dendrobium thyrsiflorum	Cym region	Easy
Dendrobiums from Australia
Dendrobium kingianum	Australia	Small pot, hardy
Dendrobium speciosum	Australia, wide spread	Bright light, dry in winter
Enclycia citrina	Mexico	Mount, cool growing, dry in winter
Encyclia mariae	Mexico	Mount, cool growing, dry in winter
Encyclia vitellina	Mexico - high elev	Mount, cool growing, dry in winter
* Enclycia vespa	S America, wide spread	Small pots
* Encyclia fragans	S America, wide spread	Small pots
Encyclia cochleata	Mexico & Central America	Small pots
Epidendrum parkinsonianum	Mexico	Mounted, humid, more shade
* Gomesa crispa	Southern Brazil	Mount
Brazilian Laelia
* Laelia perrinii		Pot , well drained
* Laelia pumila		Mount, more shade, high humidity
* Laelia purpurata		Pot, well drained, high humidity
Laelia sincorana		Mount, more shade, high humidity
Mexican Laelia
Laelia anceps	Mexico, wide spread	Mount, small pot, also outdoors
Laelia autumalis	Mexico	Mount, dry in winter
Laelia specioca	Mexico, high elev	Mount, dry in winter
Lemboglossum bictoniense	Mexico	Cool in summer, humid in winter
( = Odontoglossum)
Lycaste aromatica	Mexico	Dry in winter, humid atmosphere
Lycaste brevispatha	Central America, high elev	Dry in winter, humid atmosphere
Lycaste ciliata	Andes, high elev	Dry in winter, humid atmosphere
Lycaste deppei	Mexico, Central America	Dry in winter, humid atmosphere
Lucaste longipetala	Andes, high elev	Dry in winter, humid atmosphere
Lycaste macrophylla	South America, wide spread	Dry in winter, humid atmosphere
* Miltonia clowesii	Southern Brazil	Mount or small pot, humid atmosphere
* Miltonia spectabilis var moreliana	Eastern Brazil	Mount or small pot, humid atmosphere
* Oncidium crispum	South Central Brazil, med elev	Mount, cool summer, high light, high humidity
* Oncidium enderianum	South Central Brazil, med elev	Mount, cool summer, high light, high humidity
* Oncidium forbesii	South Central Brazil, med elev	Mount, cool summer, high light, high humidity
* Oncidium gardneri	South Central Brazil, med elev	Mount, cool summer, high light, high humidity
* Oncidium praetextum	South Central Brazil, med elev	Mount, cool summer, high light, high humidity
* Oncidium sarcodes	South Central Brazil, med elev	Mount, cool summer, high light, high humidity
* Oncidium ornithorhyncum	Brazil	Mount, high humidity
* Oncidium varicosum	Brazil	Mount, high humidity
* Oncidium flexiosum	Brazil	Mount, high humidity
* Paphiopedilum charlesworthii	± Cym region	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum	± Cym region	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
Paphiopedilum insigne	± Cym region	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
Paphiopedilum spicerianum	± Cym region	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum venustum	± Cym region	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum villosum	± Cym region	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum callosum	Wide spread - Far East	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum fairrieanum	NE India, Bhutan	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum sukhakuli	N Thailand	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum gratrixianum	Laos	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum barbigerum	S W China	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
Paphiopedilum armeniacum	Yunnan Prov, China	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
Paphiopedilum malipoense	Yunnan Prov, China & N Vietnam	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Paphiopedilum micranthum	South China	More shade & humidity. No extreme cold
* Phaius tankervilleae	Wide spread, Far East	Terrestrial, well drained, humus rich soil
* Rossioglossum grande	Mexico & Central America	Well drained medium, more shade, cool
Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii	Australia	Shallow pots, well drained medium
Sarcochilus hartmannii	Australia	Shallow pots, well drained medium
Schomburgkia crispa	Wide spread, South America	Very well drained medium
* Trichopilia fragrans	Wide spread, South America	Well drained medium, humidity in winter
Vanda coerulea	± Cym region	Very well drained medium, small pot
Zygopetallum crinitum	Brazil	Terrestrial. Pot in well drained medium. Humid
		in winter.
Zygopetallum mackayi	Brazil	Terrestrial. Pot in well drained medium. Humid in winter.

 

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