How can you tell

[IowaOrchid]

I have one cymbidium called Cymbidium Kiwi Midnight that I got from a nursery up in Minnisota. How do you tell what kind of cymbidium it is. I know there are several kinds and how you get them to flower depends on that. I emailed the place that I got this one and never got an answer. I've posted a pic if that helps. Any advice would help. I am giving it a dry period right now and I have stopped feeding it nitrogen. Also it is getting cooler now so, I am leaving it out so it will get the cooler temps. Thanks for any advice.

Julie

[kavanaru]

wow... I just did some google search:
Cymbidium Kiwi Midnight 'Geyserland' on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
http://www.glcauble.com/KiwiMidnight...FCCAOS2459.jpg
http://www.orquideas.com/images/Kiwi...rland'.jpg

that's wonderfull!!

sorry, no clue about its culture...

[smweaver]

Sounds like you're doing the right things to encourage it to bloom (and it does look like a blooming-size plant to me). Give it as much sun as possible over the winter, and try to keep the night temperatures fairly low. If possible, aim for the low 50's (but mine do quite nicely even when it drops down to the low to mid 40s at night). Anything above 60 at night and you might be asking for the trouble (the plant won't be damaged by the higher night temps, but any buds will be at risk of blasting). I let mine dry out a little between waterings, but the plants that are in spike are never allowed to go completely dry between waterings. Good luck with your new plant!

Steve

[IowaOrchid]

Steve thanks for answering me. I do have a bay window that I set it in and it gets down fairly cool in the winter night time. That won't be a problem. I still don't know what kind it is other then the name. Do you have an idea???

Julie

[smweaver]

No, I'm sorry, but I don't know what parents were used to make it. It is a hybrid, however. Even though you didn't buy it from him, you might be able to get some answers from a gentleman named Loren Batchman, who's the owner of a nursery in Southern California called Casa de las Orquideas (Casa de las Orquideas Online). He's a knowledgable guy who (in my experience) is a good source of information. He's also got great cymbidiums too, in case you get the itch to expand your collection.

[camille1585]

What do you mean by 'what kind'? I looked it up on Orchidwiz and found some info.
Kiwi Midnight = Cym Janet Holland x Cym Khairpur

70% of it is made up by 3 species that come from the mountains of China, Thailand and Vietnam. (Cym insigne 21%, Cym lowianum 25%, Cym pumilum 26,5%). The rest of the hybrid is composed of 8 other species. Those main 3 take day temps of about 75-78F during the day and the low 50s at night. In the winter they can take temps in the 40s at night.
So Steve gave you good information! (assuming all those other species need the same conditions)

[cneos]

Cym. Kiwi Midnight is a cross of Janet Holland x Khairpour. 'Geyserland' received an FCC (91 points) Exhibitor is Casa de las Orchideas - Geyserland is described as having black-burgundy flowers on a pendant inflorescence. Loren may indeed be able to help you with culture, background info.

[orchids3]

Cym. Kiwi Midnight (Cym. Janet Holland x Cym. Khairpour) pumilum 26.6%, lowianum 24.9%, and 21% insigne are the highest species in this plants makeup. It looks like a plant I would grow with all typical cymbidiums until it told me differant

[Bobfharris]

Originally Posted by orchids3

Cym. Kiwi Midnight (Cym. Janet Holland x Cym. Khairpour) pumilum 26.6%, lowianum 24.9%, and 21% insigne are the highest species in this plants makeup. It looks like a plant I would grow with all typical cymbidiums until it told me differant

I haven't found it to be warm tolerant here in Hawaii. Kiwi Baron was more warm tolerant probably from the Vogelsong/devonianum addition. One must be careful considering pumilum (sic floribundum) for warm tolerance as there are two breeding lines for it..one which is much more heat tolerant, and at times it is difficult to tell which was used unless you know the 'varietal' that was used in the breeding. I have found many of the devonianum crosses work well here in Hawaii in moderate warm climes, so combined with the amount of floribundum, we see more warm tolerance in the Kiwi Baron. Insigne is another one that there seems to be cooler and warmer growing lines for so it is not always clear when looking at Orchidwiz which line was used.
BTW for those who don't have Orchidwiz there is a more limited but accessible Grex tool on SBOE
Pedigree of Cym Red Beauty
I find this often a quick and easy to use look up for many things.
Here is a picture of my flowering of Kiwi Midnight
http://tinyurl.com/y8rukhp

And here is one of Kiwi Baron

http://tinyurl.com/yegr57q

Both plants were obtained from Hatfield Orchids

[IowaOrchid]

Oh wow, thanks for all the information. I now know all about my plant and where it came from. Thanks so much for being so informative. I really appreciate it.