Cymbidiella rhodochila

Base Price: $75.00

Intro:
This species is native to Madagascar. Cymbidiellas are related to cymbidiums and have the same plant structure with the pseudobulb at the base with long spiky leaves. The leaves of Cymbidiella rhodochila are stiffer and heavier. Once quite rare these plants often sold for several hundred dollars for blooming size plants and for many years were impossible to find. Now through seed propagation their numbers have increased and culture requirements have been better understood. In nature this plant grows on masses of staghorn ferns very high in trees where it receives very bright light, warm temperatures and plenty of humidity. The unusual green and red flowers appear in the summer and are long lasting.

Light:
This plant prefers medium to high light and likes to be grown so that the leaves are actually yellow-green in color. This is a sign that it is getting enough light to flower. Try to attain cattleya light or stronger (3000 - 3500 foot-candles) for best results.

Temperature:
This plant prefers warms temperatures where the nights do not fall below 60º and hover closer to 65º or warmer. Daytime temps should be 72º or above, and up to 90º.

Humidity:
50% or above; the higher the better.

Water:
It is best to use rainwater, distilled or reverse osmosis water. If this is not available, use municipal water with pH of 7.5 or lower and a total dissolved solids of 180 parts per million or less. Check with your municipal water supply for what kind of water you may have. Water frequently and heavily during the growing season, especially when the spikes are emerging. During winter months, this plant can be kept slightly more dry, but watch the leaf tips. If they turn brown and shrivel, it is a sign of underwatering. This plant also has pseudobulbs at the base of the leaves like a cymbidium. The pseudobulbs should be plump in the summer or just slightly shriveled in the winter. The pseudobulbs are also a guide in your watering practices. Increase watering as the pseudobulbs begin to shrivel.

Fertilizer:
We highly recommend using Green Jungle Orchid Food, especially formulated to work with rain, distilled, reverse osmosis water or water low in alkalinity. Fertilize with Green Jungle every time you water if plants are planted in bark. Be sure to flush the mix with clear water only once per month to prevent fertilizer salt build up. For plants in moss or mounted on slabs feed every third or 4th watering as the moss holds a lot of nutrients.

Or use GrowMore 20-10-20 Ureafree for municipal or well water. Use at the rate of ½ teaspoon per gallon. If using GrowMore with rain, distilled, or reverse osmosis water, add back in 5 - 10% municipal or well water to supply the necessary calcium and magnesium. Fertilize every other watering in the summer and every third watering in the winter.

Another fertilizer offered is: GrowMore 6-30-30 (Cymbidium and bloom boosting formula).

Flowering:
This plant typically blooms in the summer to fall months and can have up to 20 or more flowers on long sprays. First bloom plants will produce fewer flowers, but as the plant matures, larger sprays will be produced. The flowers are long-lasting, very thick, and can be from 3 - 3.25" in size. The overall color is pale yellowish-green with darker green spots. The lip is bright red with a yellow center.

Repotting:
Repot this plant only when it makes new growths during the late winter to early spring. The plant has thick roots, so after repotting, keep dry for the first 7 to 10 days. After the plant matures and develops many pseudobulbs, it can be divided. Keep at least 3 pseudobulbs per division. Use a fast-draining mix such as tree fern or a bark mix utilizing Douglas fir bark, charcoal, sponge rock and coconut husks. Repotting this plant can be a bit tricky as it prefers not to be disturbed and should be allowed to grow into a large specimen. Plants will sometimes sulk for a couple of years after repotting if badly damaged. However, these new varieties grown from seed are a bit more durable and stronger than the plants grown in the late 1970's and early '80's.