Cymbidium in wild: the genus Cymbidium includes approximately 60 species spreading from the Himalayas to coastal China in the east and down to southern Australia. They can be found in habitats ranging from rain forests to – passing through tropical area – almost sub-desert environments.

Cultivating Cymbidium: Cymbidium are – likely – the most known (and kept) orchids all around the world either as plants or as (cut) flowers. The reason is very easy t understand. Besides being sturdy plants, ALL Cymbidium hybrids can happily stand cold weather (a temperature, in Celsius readings, of 8°/10° C in high enough for them during the winter months). This is exactly what happens in my balcony where markings below 10° C are the exception rather than the rule. It is assumed that their ability to stand cold weather is inherited by their original "ancestrors" selected among Cymbidium species living on the Himalayan mountains … I think this explains a lot !

My plants now: all I can say is that my plant is naturally a hybrid and has been a present that Leonardo (my son) received during the party organized to introduce him to our friends last summer …Did they actually have his father in mind?!?!?

Photos now. I hope you will get the impression of their step by step blossoming process. Each flower will last for months.