We purchased this orchid as “Cymbidium pseudoballianum,” originally thought to be a natural hybrid of Cymbidium eburneum, but also referenced as a species in the Vietnam database of plants (with no further information). It is compact, with foliage that is eburneum-like in growth habit. The flowers are distinct from our other eburneum complex “species” from Vietnam, Cymbidium banaense.
My experience is that it prefers lower light, about 2000fc or the leaves become (too) yellowish. Cymbidium eburneum (pseudoballianum) blooms in August here in the San Francisco Bay Area. By contrast, Cymbidium banaense flowers in January. We grow Cymbidium eburneum (pseudoballianum) outdoors in the shadehouse until nights drop below 50F (10C) and then it is relocated to the cool growing area for the winter. Cymbidium banaense is more cold-tolerant and remains outdoors until night temperatures drop below 40F (4C).
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My vision to create orchid portraits emerged from my appreciation for the “whole orchid.” So many photographs of orchids focus only on the flower. But orchids are not flowers: they are entire plants and living beings. Connect more deeply with the many dimensions of orchids …
