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Cymbidium Swartz 1799, is a genus of 52 evergreen species in the orchid family Orchidaceae, subfamily Epidendroideae, tribe Cymbidieae, subtribe Cyrtopodiinae .

It was first described by Olof Swartz in 1799. The name is derived from the Greek word kumbos, meaning 'hole, cavity'. It refers to the form of the base of the lip.

This genus is distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia (such as North-India, China, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Borneo) and North-Australia, usually growing in cooler climates at high elevation.

Cymbidium plants are sympodial and grow to a height of 60 cm and the racemes as high as 90 cm. The raceme grows from the base of the most recent pseudobulb. Each flower can have a diameter of 5 to 10 cm, according to the species. They bloom during the winter, and each plant can have up to fifteen or more flowers. The fantastic range of colors for this genus include white, green, yellowish-green, cream, yellow, brown, pink, and red (and there may be markings of other color shades at the same time), with the exception of blue and black. The flowers last about ten weeks. They have a waxy texture. The rounded sepals and petals have about the same dimensions. They show very diverse color patterns, different for every species.

Cymbidiums tend to grow more leaves than most orchids. Roughly eight long, green, narrow leaves originate from the sheath of each pseudobulb.

It is one of the most popular and desirable orchids in the world because of the beautiful flowers. These plants make great houseplants, and are also popular in floral arrangements and corsages. They have been cultivated for thousand of years, especially in ancient China. Cymbidiums became popular in Europe during the Victorian era. One feature that makes the plant so popular is the fact that it can survive during cold temperatures (as low as 7˚ C or 45˚ F). Orchid hobbyists in temperate climates appreciate the fact that they can bloom in winter, when few other orchids are blooming.

Only a few Cymbidium species are commonly grown in nurseries, due to the popularity of hybrids. Most are to be found in botanical gardens or in their ever shrinking natural habitat.

Species

• Cymbidium aliciae (Philippines).
• Cymbidium aloifolium : Aloe-Leafed Cymbidium (Himalaya to W. Malaysia).
• Cymbidium atropurpureum (S. Thailand, W. & C. Malaysia).
• Cymbidium × ballianum (Myanmar)
• Cymbidium × baoshanense (China).
• Cymbidium bicolor : Two-Colored Cymbidium (S. China to Trop. Asia).
  • Cymbidium bicolor subsp. bicolor (S. India, Sri Lanka). Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium bicolor subsp. obtusum (Himalaya to S. China and Indo-China). Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium bicolor subsp. pubescens (W. & C. Malaysia).
• Cymbidium borneense (N. & NW. Borneo).
• Cymbidium canaliculatum : Banana Orchid, Queensland Black Orchid, Small Groove-leaf Cymbidium (N. & E. Australia).
• Cymbidium chloranthum : Green-flowered Cymbidium (W. Malaysia).
• Cymbidium cochleare (E. Himalaya to Taiwan).
• Cymbidium cyperifolium (Himalaya to S. China and Philippines).
  • Cymbidium cyperifolium subsp. cyperifolium (Himalaya to S. China).. Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium cyperifolium subsp. indochinense (Indo-China, Philippines).. Pseudobulb epiphyte
• Cymbidium dayanum : Phoenix Orchid, Tree Orchid, Day's Cymbidium (Himalaya to S. Japan and Malaysia).
• Cymbidium defoliatum (China).

• Cymbidium devonianum : Devon's Cymbidium (Nepal to N. Thailand).
• Cymbidium eburneum : Ivory-colored Cymbidium (Himalaya to Hainan).
• Cymbidium elongatum (NW. Borneo).
• Cymbidium ensifolium : Four Season Orchid, Golden-thread Orchid, Spring Orchid, Burned Apex Orchid, Rock Orchid (Trop. & Temp. E. Asia).
  • Cymbidium ensifolium subsp. ensifolium : Mt. Tu-Wu Fall Orchid (Indo-China to Temp. E. Asia). Pseudobulb, epiphyte
  • Cymbidium ensifolium subsp. haematodes (S. India to New Guinea). Pseudobulb epiphyte
• Cymbidium erythraeum : Indian Cymbidium (Himalaya to SC. China).
• Cymbidium erythrostylum : Red Column Cymbidium (Vietnam)
• Cymbidium faberi : Multi-flower Orchid, Miscanthus Orchid (Uttaranchal to Taiwan).
  • Cymbidium faberi var. faberi (C. & S. China, Taiwan). Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium faberi var. szechuanicum (Uttaranchal to SC. China). Pseudobulb epiphyte
• Cymbidium finlaysonianum : Finlayson's Cymbidium (Indo-China to Malaysia).
• Cymbidium flavum (China).
• Cymbidium floribundum : Golden Leaf-edge Orchid, Golden-edged Orchid, Yellow Margin Orchid (S. China, Taiwan).
• Cymbidium × florinda (= C. erythrostylum × C. iridioides. Cyperorchis × florinda) (Vietnam).
• Cymbidium × gammieanum ( = C. elegans × C. erythraeum. Cyperorchis × gammieana) (Nepal to Sikkim).
• Cymbidium × glebelandensis ( = C. insigne × C. schroederi) (Vietnam)
• Cymbidium goeringii : Spring Orchid (Himalaya to Temp. E. Asia).
  • Cymbidium goeringii var. goeringii : Goering's Cymbidium (Himalaya to Temp. E. Asia). Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium goeringii var. gracillimum : Leek Orchid, Chive Orchid (Japan to S. China. Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium goeringii var. longibracteatum (SC. China). Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium goeringii var. tortisepalum : Mt. Tsukerg Orchid, Snow Orchid, Broad-leaf Spring Orchid (Taiwan). Pseudobulb epiphyte
• Cymbidium gongshanense (S. China)
• Cymbidium hartinahianum (N. Sumatra)
• Cymbidium hookerianum (E. Nepal to S. China).
• Cymbidium insigne : Splendid Cymbidium (N. Thailand to Hainan).
• Cymbidium iridioides : Iris-like Cymbidium (Himalaya to SC. China).
• Cymbidium kanran : Cold-growing Cymbidium (S. China to S. Japan).
• Cymbidium lancifolium : Green-flowered Peacock Orchid, Lance-leafed Cymbidium (Trop. & Subtrop. Asia).
  • Cymbidium lancifolium var. lancifolium : Green Bamboo-leaf Orchid, Cut-grass Orchid (Trop. & Subtrop. Asia) . Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium lancifolium var. papuanum (New Guinea). Pseudobulb epiphyte
• Cymbidium longifolium (Himalaya to SC. China).
• Cymbidium lowianum : Low's Cymbidium (China to N. Indo-China).
  • Cymbidium lowianum var. kalawense (Myanmar). Pseudobulb epiphyte
  • Cymbidium lowianum var. lowianum (China to N. Indo-China). Pseudobulb epiphyte
• Cymbidium macrorhizon (N. Pakistan to Temp. E. Asia).
• Cymbidium madidum : Buttercup Orchid, Northern Cymbidium, Moist Forest Cymbidium (Queensland to N. New South Wales).
• Cymbidium mastersii : Master's Cymbidium (E. Himalaya to China)
• Cymbidium munronianum (E. Himalaya to Assam)
• Cymbidium nanulum (China (SW. Yunnan, SW. Guizhou), Hainan)
• Cymbidium parishii (S. Myanmar).
• Cymbidium qiubeiense (China).
• Cymbidium rectum (Malaysia, N. Borneo)
• Cymbidium × rosefieldense (= C. insigne × C. tracyanum. Cyperorchis × rosefieldensis) (Vietnam).
• Cymbidium roseum (W. Malaysia)
• Cymbidium sanderae : Sander's Cymbidium (Vietnam).
• Cymbidium schroederi (C. Vietnam).
• Cymbidium sigmoideum (W. Malaysia).
• Cymbidium sinense : Chinese Cymbidium (Assam to Nansei-shoto).
• Cymbidium suave : Snake Orchid (E. Australia).
• Cymbidium suavissimum (N. Myanmar)
• Cymbidium teretipetiolatum (China).
• Cymbidium tigrinum : Tiger-striped Cymbidium (Assam to China).
• Cymbidium tracyanum : Tracy's Cymbidium (SE. Tibet to China and Indo-China)
• Cymbidium wenshanense (China to Vietnam)
• Cymbidium whiteae (Sikkim)
• Cymbidium wilsonii (China)
• Cymbidium × woodlandense.( = C. mastersii × C. tracyanum. Cyperorchis × woodlandensis) (Myanmar)

Diseases

Cymbidium is susceptible to the Cymbidium mosaic potexvirus

External links

• A series of Cymbidium drawings
• Cymbidium mosaic potexvirus