The first sign of spring in my greenhouse is my turtle waking up and following me around my greenhouse asking to be fed.

"What about the orchids?" you may ask. Oh yes!

Many of my orchids are showing a very definite sign of spring. The flower spikes of my Phalaenopsis and the Paphiopedilums are loaded with buds ready to open in a display of beautiful blooms.

There is one group of orchids in particular that are very special in the springtime.

They are the pretty Cymbidiums.

Many of you may have seen these pretty orchids even though you perhaps did not know what kind you were looking at. You can find Cymbidium blossoms made into pretty corsages and packed in little plastic boxes ready for sale in all the stores around Easter and Mother's Day.

Cymbidium blooms are an excellent cut flowers because they can last up to six weeks.

They are the most popular cut flowers in the world.

If kept on the plant, the blooms will last up to twelve weeks. There can be as many as 30 blooms or more on a single spike and are usually 2 to 5 inches in diameter.

The blooms come in many different colors and shades: white, yellow, orange, red, purple, mauve and even green!.

The standard size Cymbidiums can become very large and are usually not suitable for most people's homes unless they have a lot of room to spare.

Smaller miniature varieties of Cymbidiums are available and are perfect for your home as long as you have a bright sunny window where they can be kept.

Cymbidiums make wonderful patio plants during the summer.

In areas where the temperatures do not get below freezing, they can be grown outside year round.

In late spring I place mine on my patio and enjoy them until late fall when I return them to my greenhouse for the winter.

Cymbidiums are not difficult to grow if you provide the requirements that they need.

Cymbidiums are epiphytic or semi-terrestrial orchids and do not like to dry out.

When potting one should know that curiously enough, many Cymbidium species in their natural habitats have surprisingly similar vegetative growth per root system ratios around 1:30. In different words, on a weight/weight basis they have huge root systerms, up to thirty times as much as the pseudobulbs and leaves are.

They do very well in a medium of fine orchid bark with a little humus or coarse peat mixed in it, however, Cymbidium species and hybrids are heavy feeders.

They love lots of bright sunshine and plenty of water while they are growing. You may, however, want to place them in a shaded area while they are in bloom because the sun will fade the pretty blossoms.

In the Fall they need a temperature of around 50 to 55 ºF (10 - 12 ºC) during the night to initiate the flower spikes.
They like daytime temperatures as high as 85 ºF (30 ºC).

Miniature Cymbidiums prefer temperatures about
10 ºF (2 ºC) warmer than the standard Cymbidiums.

You should fertilize them until they are through blooming.

If available, they are grateful for organic manure. When new growth appears, fertilize with a bloom-booster fertilizer.

Cymbidium hybrid 'Lagoon Starlight'