Cymbidium tracyanum: Light - how to know when it is just too much?

[Jak]

Hello all,

back after a year with good news... and another question:-)

First of all the orchid is doing well - I pulled back on the amount of light, and the new growths are progressively larger (almost too large I am afraid where it will stop :-) ).

Second is the (possible) issue - I see small spots starting on the new dark leaves... is this normal?

Thank you
Jakub

[Roberta]

Stop? That Cym. tracyanum is a baby... They get quite large - and that is when they bloom well.

I don't think those spots are worrisome... I get spots on Cym leaves all the time, it doesn't seem to indicate any sort of disease if there is nothing obvious on the underside of the leaf. (Do look there though... some pests like scale can hide...)

[Jak]

Hello Roberta,

thank you for the assurance nothing is wrong - no sign of pests anywhere I could find.

And yikes! I looked at the pictures of the Tracyanum on the internet - those things are huge! :-)

Jakub

[Fairorchids]

Here is a photo of one from the Cape & Islands Orchid Society show (Jan 2019). The planter is at least 24" (60 cm) square.

[Jak]

Hello Kim,

Ok... I have started thinking of strategies to confront my wife to this fact - I will probably take the hero's route and wait until the growth creeps up on us :-) Having said that the orchid looks amazing and I can't wait till it blossoms!

It looks like the issue isn't really the pot size, but the huge overhang of the leaves - much more pronounced than with my other cym (picture).

I am thinking is there any way to promote a more upwards leaf growth like the other cyms have?

Jakub

[Roberta]

Jak -
The leaves are just long, and so they hang over the pot. In fact, these, like all Cyms, bloom better when they are really tight in the pot - just before they absolutely HAVE to be repotted (breaking the pot or climbing out). As long as the medium is in good condition, don't be in a rush to repot... especially to larger size. They do need to drain well, so if it is been more than 3 years, the bark is becoming mud and needs to be replaced. But if less than that, let it become a beast. That is what it wants to do. When it does bloom, there is a bonus - it is quite fragrant.

That monster that Kim showed, I wonder, how anyone transported it! I used to pot the larger Cyms in 10 inch (25 cm) pots. I find that as I get a few years older, I can't manage the weight and the bulk of the plant at repotting time, so I have been keeping my Cyms down to 8 inch (20 cm) pots, making divisions when necessary. Cym tracyanum is one of those big ones... if you can manage a 25 cm pot, that is a good "target" size.

[Jak]

Thank you Roberta,

I have had mine in the same medium for about 3 years now (the beginning growth was slow before I figured this ine out a little - less light need in particular). Are there signs that the medium is deteriorating, or should I just repot into the same pot to be sure? So far the bulbs are getting larger with each new growth so this means it us liking where it is?

Jakub

[Roberta]

The time for repotting Cyms is in the late winter or early spring. So something to put on your calendar for February or March (or later if it is in bloom of course) For now, no need to do anything.

This is the time of year when it is preparing flower spikes if it is going to bloom - when the days are still warm and nights are starting to be cool. You will need to watch the weather... be prepared to get it inside when night temperatures get down to 4 deg C or so. (A Cym can tolerate colder, down to 0 C, but that's not ideal) Once inside for the winter, your challenge, of course, will be to give it enough light. Do the best you can... once danger of frost has passed, it can go back outside.

[Jak]

Thank you Roberta - temperature wise I will give it the same treatment as my other cym, which blooms nicely (3 spikes each year)... I really hope this year is the one for this one!

Light wise I will move it to my phals which are artificial all year round, and hope that will be enough.

...and set.the calendar for repotting... And the thread I create before that :-)

Jakub

[Cym Ladye]

Back to your small white spots: That may be a localized infestation of thrips. Were it my plant, I would spray with a systemic spray.