cymbidium lowianum

This Cymbidium orchid is the most widespread of all the botanical species ,although the situation is full of confution and few people are able to distinguish ''purebred'' plants from the multitude of hybrids , for the creation of which the orginal orchid was once used . The bulky C. lowianum has oval pseudobulbs bearing up to 10 belt -shaped pointed leaves that reach a length of 30 in /75 cm. The flower spikes reaches a length of 30 in /75 cm and bears up to 26 flowers that are very durable ,up to 4in /10cm in diameter,with olive -green to yellowish tepals and a somewhat yellow lip with a red -edged middle lobe. The inflorescence is arched ;if you want to use it for cut flowers,you will need to straighten the stalk by trying it to a wooden stick.Otherwise ,cultivation of this species is very easy. The only problem can arise from its need of a cool environment in the summer:you should therefore transfer it to a partly shadedplace under an open sky ,where Cymbidia can remain until the arrival of the first frost. The substrate should never go completely dry . The flowering period comes between January and April and the plant is native to Burma and the Himalayas.