365 days of orchids – day 423 – Cymbidium wenshanense
This is the first flowering at Writhlington of this distinctive cymbidium species from China and Northern Vietnam. The species is reported growing as an epiphyte in evergreeen forests from 1000 to 1500m. The species is small growing for a cymbidium with fine leaves but has large attractive flowers with lovely lip markings. The fine picotee edge to the lip given by small pink hairs is particularly startling. The flowers are also sweetly fragrant.
The species has some similarities with Cymbidium erythrosylum but has larger flowers and a very different lip. We find that the species enjoys growing in a basket in Cool Asia where we keep it watered all year but try to keep water off the flowers.
This is species is not as commonly available as seed raised plants as we would expect and so we will be pollinating these flowers and hope to raise seedlings in our lab alongside our many other Cymbidium species.
Join the Discussion
Simon Pugh-Jones
We met at the Bournemouth orchid society 60th show where I put on the Keith Andrews display. Andy Easton gave me the 4nversion? It has 5 flower buds although the root system does not look 4n so if the flowers are any good would you be interested in the pollen
Brian
Hi Brian – Thanks for the offer. We have a very large number of wenshanense seedlings in flask at the moment, I would love to see a photo of your plant when it flowers. We don’t actually work with 4Ns as a number of our plants are used in conservation and crossing with 2Ns ends in a lot of sterile 3Ns. If you have 2N cymbidium species, some pollen would be very appreciated.
All the best, Simon
Hi Simon
Please let me know if you get any plants of this orchid
Thanks Chris
Hi Simon
I was able to by one as there was no more, if you have a couple of spare seedling I will pay tonight when I get home Thanks Chris
Have ordered two other cymbidium seedlings