NewHorizonOrchids.com

Mr. Cym. I wanted to ask this question before the "meltdown" of the old forum. Forgive me if I did, but I didnt get to see the replies. Everyone knows my interest as a hobby grower, is predominently in heat tolerant Cymbidiums. ( But I still enjoy all posts about the traditional plants. )

There appear to be 44 species according to google. There are about 10 or so temperature tolerant ones.

Question: There are a lot of plants being sold here in Australia with the seller claiming they have heat tolerance......because a grandparent on one side is ensifoliun, and you can find madidum or suave somewhere on the other side. Are there some species which you can say are definite no no's close up in the pedigree.
eg a respected grower told me once he wouldn't accept a bid from me for a plant with hookerianum ( i think? ) close up in the breeding since it wouldn't flower in Brisbane. Not all EBay sellers are that honest.

I'll leave it there although I have more questions.

Nigel,

Like many of your questions, this is rather complex! Believe about 25% of what is claimed on E-Bay as your first step.

We have attempted a cross with grandiflorum this year which will surely bloom in Brisbane if we get seed etc. Always dangerous to generalize but as a rule of thumb, as explained here previously, a rough % level of WT/HT immediate ancestry will give you a fair idea of how the plant is likely to respond. For example, we have just opened the first flower on our crossing of Cym. ensifolium album 4n X Peter Pan 'Greensleeves' 4n and I calculate this plant is genetically 75% ensifolium. I'm quite confident that it will flower almost anywhere including Bangkok. If I cross this plant with one of the Pixie Dust X madidum 4n selections, I would expect seedlings that would be even more WT/HT than the plant now in bloom. Why? Because although those seedlings would be only around 70% WT/HT ancestry, the broader base of ensifolium plus madidum is likely, in my considered opinion, to give the plants a greater tolerance to hot conditions. But this is only my opinion so would need to be proven in practice. See why a simple yes/no answer is usually inadequate.....