365 days of orchids – day 369 – Cymbidium erythraeum
This delicate Himalayan species has very long lasting flowers and is in bloom from the end of December until the end of March. It has long thin dark green leaves and small flowers (8cm across) well spaced on long arching flower spikes.
We have seen the species growing abundantly in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in wet, evergreen, monsoon forests at around 2000m altitude though it is reported from 1000 to 2400m and right across from Nepal in the west to Southern China and Vietnam in the East. We have always seen plants high in large trees competing with other epiphytes including orchids (coelogyne and dendrobium species) and ferns.
We grow the species very cool (min 6C) in out Temperate section and keep plants well watered throughout the year.
Discussion