Cymbidium: The Orchid for Bouquets and Home

Cymbidium is an orchid with large waxy flowers on long spikes, often seen in premium bouquets and buttonholes. As a cut flower it stays fresh for weeks, and in a pot it can bloom every year if you give it a cool autumn. Here is what types of cymbidium exist, how to care for them at home and how florists use them.

What Is Cymbidium

Cymbidium is an orchid genus of several dozen species. In the wild they grow from the Himalayas and China to South-East Asia and Australia — on trees, rocks and the forest floor. Unlike phalaenopsis, cymbidium forms swollen pseudobulbs and long narrow leaves in a fan, and each spike carries anywhere from a few to about twenty flowers. The petals are thick and waxy: white, yellow, green, pink or burgundy, often with a contrasting spotted lip.

Standard and Miniature Cymbidiums

• Standard hybrids — large plants with flowers 8–12 cm across, the type grown commercially for cut flowers.
• Miniature hybrids — more compact, with smaller flowers; easier for a flat.
• Fragrant species — some Asian cymbidiums have a delicate scent and have been grown in China for centuries.

Compare cymbidium with other popular orchids in our guide to types of orchids.

Cymbidium in Bouquets and Buttonholes

A single cymbidium spike is an arrangement in itself, so it is often placed alone in a tall vase. In bouquets it pairs with roses, calla lilies, anthurium and tropical foliage. Individual blooms go into buttonholes, corsages and bridal bouquets: they survive hours without water and hold up through a long celebration. With proper care, cut cymbidium lasts up to 3–4 weeks in a vase — longer than most flowers.

Caring for Cut Cymbidium

• Trim the end of the spike under water every few days.
• Use a clean vase and cool water, changing it every 2–3 days.
• Keep it away from fruit: the ethylene it releases makes orchids fade faster.

Cymbidium in a Pot: Care and Getting It to Bloom

Light. Plenty of bright, indirect light; in summer the plant benefits from time on a balcony or in the garden in part shade.

Temperature. The key to flowering is a cool autumn: nights around 10–14 °C and a clear difference from daytime temperatures. Kept warm all year, cymbidium often grows well but never blooms.

Watering. Generous during growth, never waterlogged; less in winter. Use a coarse bark mix with some peat or moss.

Repotting. Every 2–3 years after flowering, once the pseudobulbs fill the pot. More windowsill ideas are in houseplants.

FAQ

Why won’t my cymbidium bloom?

Usually because it is too warm: it needs cool autumn nights of about 10–14 °C and plenty of light to set flower spikes.

How long does cut cymbidium last?

With regular water changes and trimming, up to 3–4 weeks.

How is cymbidium different from phalaenopsis?

Cymbidium has pseudobulbs and long narrow leaves and likes it cool; phalaenopsis has broad leaves and is happy in a warm flat.

How often should I water cymbidium?

Generously in summer once the top of the mix dries; less in winter, but never let it dry out completely.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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