PetalPal
Safe for cats and dogs. Any plant can still upset a pet’s stomach if they eat a lot, so keep it out of reach.
Light
Bright, indirect light. Winter sun is fine.
Water
When the mix is slightly dry, water it through
Temperature
10-25°C. It likes cool air and hates stuffy heat.
Feed
No fertilizer while it's in bloom
Do this when you get home
- Put it somewhere bright, airy, and on the cool side. Next to a heater, the flowers open fast and fade fast.
- Feel the mix (usually bark or moss). When the surface is slightly dry, water it through. Don't leave water in the bottom of the pot.
Day to day
- 10-20°C while it's blooming is ideal. The flowers can last two or three months.
- The spikes are heavy. A stake will hold them. Don't keep turning the pot.
- After the flowers fade, cut off the spike. In spring and summer, grow the pseudobulbs somewhere bright and airy. In fall it needs a day-night temperature swing before it will spike again.
Common questions
The buds yellowed and dropped?
Usually too warm, air that's too dry, or too much moving. Put it somewhere cool and airy, and leave it there.
It didn't bloom the second year?
Cymbidiums need plenty of light in summer and fall, and a clear day-night temperature swing, before they send up a spike. In the north, a balcony in fall works.
