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Avatar for fwolfyusc17
Nov 20, 2022 6:51 AM CST
Thread OP
Boise, Idaho
Hi I just read that Cymbidiums need cool temps at night 45-55 (?) in order to develop their flowers. We have a couple of orchids that are doing quite well in our home EXCEPT they do not flower anymore. At the least the house can maybe get around 55-60 deg at at night. I live in Boise Idaho so putting them outside (esp in Winter) is not an option. Is there something else I could be doing to bring back the flowers?
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Nov 20, 2022 6:59 AM CST
Name: Gina
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Nov 20, 2022 8:14 AM CST
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I think BigBill is still not able to "see" this forum.
Call @Australis or post at the Orchid forum please!

It would help to know which Orchids besides the Cymbidium we are talking about.
Last edited by Ursula Nov 20, 2022 8:28 AM Icon for preview
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Nov 20, 2022 9:33 AM CST
Name: Gina
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Thanks Ursula I forgot
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Nov 20, 2022 10:59 AM CST
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Nov 20, 2022 11:19 AM CST
Name: Big Bill
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Nov 20, 2022 11:31 AM CST
Name: Big Bill
Livonia Michigan (Zone 6a)
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If they are Standard Cymbidiums, they may never bloom as indoor plants. I am sure Australis has his ideas as well.

But Cymbidiums do best grow outdoors for as much as possible. You gradually move them outside in the spring once all dangers of a 'hard frost' have passed. They like it on the cool side, say temperatures from the upper 40's through low 80's. They do not enjoy too much warmth.
You water them well while growing outside. Fertilize every 10 days to two weeks, at a tsp. of water soluble fertilizer in a gallon of water.
Never let them get too dry. Then in the fall make sure they get 2 weeks of cool night time temperatures averaging in the low to mid 40's. They can even withstand a little light frost. Once you have them chilled a bit, you can bring them inside in a bright area that gets a little sun. After 4-6 weeks you should definitely see bloom spikes coming up.
Chinese Cymbidiums with cascading flower spikes of starry flowers do not like it quite that cold. But in my experience they like a cool place too grow. They are not what we would call warmth tolerant orchids.
Without cooler conditions you may never see flowers but if you chill them you should see 10-20 blooms per spike.

Outdoors it is 4 hours of sun, lots of water, lots of food and not too warm.
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Last edited by BigBill Nov 20, 2022 3:22 PM Icon for preview
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Nov 20, 2022 12:32 PM CST
Name: Gina
Florida (Zone 9a)
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This happened to me as well. Florida is just too hot for these.
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Nov 21, 2022 6:43 AM CST
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Name: Joshua
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Welcome to the orchids forum, @fwolfyusc17

Can you tell us a bit more about your Cyms? Even if you don't know the name, some photos of the plants and the blooms (when they have previously flowered) would be most helpful.

Bill is correct that most Cymbidiums cannot be grown as houseplants. They need good light to grow well and flower.

The temperature range required very much depends on the species or hybrid.

Many of the traditional hybrids (think most of the showy intermediates and standards over the last century of breeding that flower in late autumn through spring) need that diurnal variation (day vs. night difference) of at least 10°C to initiate flower spikes. My understanding is that that variation is far more important than the actual nighttime temperature. They don't like excessive heat (above about 86F), although they can easily tolerate up to 35C/95F with the appropriate care. Likewise, they will often tolerate a light frost, although may show signs of damage on the leaves (ideally you want to protect them once it gets close to freezing, i.e. below 40F).

The "Chinese Cymbidiums" (really, these are hybrids with the smaller "heat-tolerant" species from the Jensoa section of the genus) have different requirements. They dislike temperatures below around 10C/50F and will handle temperatures around 30-35C/86-95F without much trouble. There is less (but not completely absent) need for a diurnal variation to make them flower. Hybrids with ensifolium in particular can often be prompted to spike simply by moving them from a warmer to a cooler spot on your property for a few weeks. In their case I think it has more to do with the change in average temperature than the diurnal variation.

Most Cymbidiums need as much light as you can give them (without burning the foliage). This means the leaves should be a bright or light green (not yellow or starting to develop brown sunburn areas). Dark green foliage usually indicates insufficient light. Some species and their hybrids need more light than others, but generally there are very few Cyms that do well with the lower light levels that would typically be fine for Phals or other orchids often grown indoors. I suspect that you could give them a lot of sun in your location in spring and autumn, reducing to just a few hours of morning sun in summer (since your average temps seem to be about 5°C cooler than mine).

Watering is also important, as Bill mentioned. There are exceptions to the rule, of course (like not watering Cym. canaliculatum or its hybrids through winter, and similarly providing insigne minimal water in winter), but typically they like to be kept moist (but not sodden) in the growing season. The amount of watering needed entirely depends on what media they are in. Very open mixtures (like Orchiata bark) will need more frequent watering, whereas moisture-retentive mixes (e.g. more than 25% coir or spaghnum moss) will need much much less to avoid the risk of root rot. If your plants haven't been repotted in years, you may find the media has broken down too much and they do not have a healthy root system (which will also affect flowering).

I hope that helps! Let us know if you have any questions.
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Last edited by Australis Nov 22, 2022 10:36 PM Icon for preview
Avatar for fwolfyusc17
Nov 22, 2022 8:38 AM CST
Thread OP
Boise, Idaho
Hi All
And thank you for a great sharing of ideas and suggestions! I am a bit embarrassed since now thinking about it, the orchids are probably NOT cymbidiums. The only photo I could provide is the plant leaves not the flowers. Would a picture of the the plant minus flowers help in identification?
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Nov 22, 2022 9:03 AM CST
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Name: Ursula
Fair Lawn NJ, zone 7a
Orchids Plumerias Cactus and Succulents Region: New Jersey Region: Pennsylvania Native Plants and Wildflowers
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It might help! Go for it and give us some pics please!
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Nov 22, 2022 10:14 AM CST
Name: Gina
Florida (Zone 9a)
Tropical plant collector 40 years
Aroids Region: Florida Tropicals
Are they ground orchids?
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Nov 22, 2022 1:03 PM CST
Name: Big Bill
Livonia Michigan (Zone 6a)
If you need to relax, grow plants!!
Bee Lover Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Orchids Region: Michigan Hostas Growing under artificial light
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No name tags??
They might not be orchids.
But if I had to guess, I would bet any amount that they are Phalaenopsis.
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Last edited by BigBill Nov 22, 2022 1:06 PM Icon for preview
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Nov 22, 2022 10:06 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
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Yes, I hope you'll show us the pictures of the leaves of your plants, so we can help ID them.

Let me say that the wonderful info from Bill and Joshua has been most enlightening, anyway. Awesome dissertations, guys!

I do have some Cymbidiums and they do bloom, but not dependably. Must be varieties of the Chinese Cyms that Bill mentioned.

Then again, I'm in Florida and we don't always get chilly days in winter, but we do always get "too hot" days and a lot of them in summer. So not ideal here for any Cyms either. I put them on the north side of the house in the coolest shady spot to "chill" for a few weeks in winter, and it seems to work. They live in the dappled shade of my big oak trees through the summer. It's usually 7 to 10deg. cooler than the ambient temp there and they seem to survive this treatment.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest (ideal Cymbidium conditions for the most part) but lived for 20yr. in Salt Lake City, too. Very similar climate to Boise, so I'd say for sure you cannot put your orchids outside in the summertime there. Much to dry and way too hot!

Here's one of my Cyms in bloom. The leaves look just like daylily leaves - long and strap-like, maybe an inch wide at most and 18in to 2ft long.
Thumb of 2022-11-23/dyzzypyxxy/156109
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Avatar for fwolfyusc17
Nov 24, 2022 8:17 AM CST
Thread OP
Boise, Idaho
The orchid was given to us as a florist give about 3 years ago--so no name tags attached, I wish it had. It has thrived well in the house and continues to grow. It flowered twice from the same stalk...and no more. :(
I will try to get a picture out to all of you. It may take a couple more days. Be patient! And thanks for all of your help!
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