Let's travel to the Far East and find the beautiful Chinese Cymbidiums.
Cymbidiums are commonly grown world wide, many grow side-by-side with other flowers in gardens where the temperatures are mild.

There is a subgenus of Cymbidiums, called Jensoa, which was coined to include the Chinese Cymbidiums.

The five species that make up this group are:
Cymbidium ensifolium (Jian Lan, shown at left),
Cymbidium faberi (Hui Lan)
Cymbidium goeringii (Chun Lan),
Cymbidium kanran (Han Lan) and C. sinense (Mo Lan).

Chinese Cymbidiums have been very popular and in cultivation for centuries in China, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.Confucius called these magnificent plants the "King of Fragrance" in 500 BC, and they are still known by this nickname today.

The Chinese believe it is a great honor to give or receive one of these extraordinary orchids because they are considered symbols of virtuosity and friendship.

Orchids, for the most part, are not known for the beauty of their foliage - Chinese Cymbidiums are the exception to this rule.

The leaves of these orchids are cherished as much as the blooms. In fact, variegated Cymbidiums are often judged in orchid shows without blooms because the foliage is so beautiful!

I cannot vouch for the effectiveness, however, according to written records dating back to the Ming Dinasty (1368 - 1644) beyond enjoying their decorative value and magnificent fragrance, in traditional Chinese medicine these orchids were also used to cure rheumatism, neuralgia - and veneral diseases...

Each species of Chinese Cymbidiums blooms at different times of the year which allows owners of the different species to have at least one of them in bloom almost year round. The flowers tend to be small, but plentiful, sprouting from very tall spikes which can be twice as tall as the plant.

In each species, the colors may vary greatly. Different variations of Cymbidium sinense for example, can be pure yellow, red, white or a mixture of colors.The pure colored flowers are the most cherished and thus the most valuable.

Through the centuries the Asian people have created a very special vase to grow their Cymbidiums. The orchid vases are tall and narrow.

Unlike the standard Cymbidiums whose roots tangle and make large masses, the roots of the Chinese Cymbidiums seldom branch and do not tangle.

They have very long roots that need to have plenty of room to grow straight down. The media needs to drain well which allows the roots to remain cool and moist, but not wet.
A good mix can consist of stone, sponge rock, tree fern, fir bark, charcoal, moss or seaweed.

The portions and combinations you use will depend on your environment. No matter what type of medium you choose, make sure there are no large air pockets in your vase or pot.

In their natural environments, the Chinese Cymbidiums are found growing in the mountains from the lower elevations (Cymbidium sinense) to the mountaintops (Cymbidium faberi).

Most of them require low shaded areas and constant moist surroundings. They can be typically found growing under other vegetation that filters out the hot sunshine.Try to keep a minimum of 50% humidity for lush growth and beautiful flowers.

The leaves will tell you if the light is right, they should be a dark green color. These orchids prefer light shade. If there is too much light the leaves will be a yellow/green color. Too little light will produce leaves that droop and fold together.

The most important aspect of growing your Cymbidiums is temperature.
In summer they are grown under 80% to 95% shade with day temperatures from 75 to 85 °F (24 to 29 °C) and night temperatures of 50 to 60 °F (10° to 16 °C).

In the fall they must have a drop in temperatures, preferably 65° to 75°F (18° to 24 °C) during the day and 45 to 55 °F (7 to 13 °C) at night.

This change in temperature is necessary because without it, they will not initiate their inflorescence (flower spikes).
You may need to increase air movement to help lower the temperatures.

As always, you should pick a species or hybrid that requires an environment that best matches the one in which you live.

I am sure there will be at least one that will be happy in your collection. I suggest you purchase plants with at least three growths.
Yes, they may be a little more expensive but they will adapt to your growing conditions much faster.