Cultivation and Management Methods for Wild-Collected Cold Orchid (Cymbidium kanran)
Many orchid enthusiasts, especially in recent years, are particularly fond of the Cold Orchid (Cymbidium kanran), because its beauty is multifaceted. Leaf forms include long upright leaves like swords, short leaves like arrows, and arched curved leaves like dragons emerging from the sea. The Cold Orchid has the greatest variety of flower colors, with red, orange, yellow, green, purple, cyan, blue, crimson, black and white all present. The beauty of its flower forms is like flying dragons and dancing phoenixes, a white crane calling, a purple swallow returning to its nest, a roc spreading its wings, or a fairy descending to earth. When in bloom, its fragrance is pure and long-lasting; with one flower in a room, the whole house is filled with a delicate scent. The Cold Orchid combines the beauty of all orchid species in one and gathers the spiritual essence of all things in one.
The Cold Orchid prefers shade and moisture, native to misty dense forests in high mountains, mostly distributed in areas at altitudes of 500-1000 m, where the growing sites have dense trees, considerable shading, and the ground has formed a very thick humus layer with fertile and loose soil. In primeval forests, Cold Orchids in favorable terrain have large clumps with many shoots, beautiful leaf forms, and well-developed root systems.
During many years of collecting orchids in deep mountains, the author also found that the Cold Orchid has very strong vitality. Sometimes when large clumps were thrown onto tree stumps or rocks by farmers digging bamboo shoots, they could still survive, send up shoots, bloom and persist, only the new shoots produced were somewhat smaller. Cold Orchids growing in different terrains produce somewhat different seedlings. For example, orchids growing in terrains with more sunlight and dry soil have shorter and smaller seedlings and fewer shoots, but they bloom more, and their leaf color is also somewhat lighter. If grown in terrain with little sunlight but loose, fertile soil and high air humidity, the seedlings are tall and large, with thick and numerous shoots, and the leaf color is dark green, glossy and shiny, but they bloom less; after such orchids are collected from the mountain, they generally bloom more.
Based on the growth characteristics of the Cold Orchid, to successfully cultivate wild-collected Cold Orchids, the key is to imitate the conditions of its native habitat for introduction, domestication and propagation. Specifically, pay attention to the following aspects:
1. Cultivation principles: To successfully grow wild-collected Cold Orchids, the key is to grow the roots well. Because wild-collected orchids have many broken roots, if cultivated the same way as other orchids, they will rot and dry out. Cold Orchid roots are few, thin and long, while the leaves are tall and large; this is its special situation, but as long as the growing medium is treated differently, it can definitely be grown well. Wild-collected Cold Orchids should first have their roots nurtured; through domestication of the roots, make them grow thick, short and with many branches. Once the orchid roots are thick and strong, the shoots are naturally easier to grow. Only with thick roots can shoots be propagated. The method for the first year of cultivation is to use a loose, moisture-retaining coarse growing medium, mixed with leaf mold from its native habitat for planting, without fertilization. The growing medium should be clean, free of fertilizer and toxins, and the coarse medium is breathable and easy for roots to grow.
2. Growing medium selection: For Yifeng alone, red brick rubble is made from firing red loam soil; it is not hard and is slightly acidic. Coarse river sand, this kind of sand is formed with 30%-40% shale, and can hold and retain water. Shale fragments (flat stones) can absorb and drain water. The above materials must undergo strict high-temperature disinfection and sterilization, and be separated into large, medium and small particles (specifications: large 10-20 mm, medium 5-10 mm, small 2-5 mm). After sieving, bag them separately for later use.
3. Growing medium ratios: ① 70% red brick rubble, 25% leaf mold, 5% reed ash or plant ash. ② 65% coarse river sand, 35% leaf mold. ③ 80% shale fragments, 20% leaf mold. Apart from the coarse large material reserved for lining the bottom of the pot, the medium and small materials should be mixed separately.
4. Pot selection: Before planting, orchid pots should be disinfected and sterilized. It is best to choose deep clay pots that are breathable and moisture-retaining; pots without holes should have holes drilled. Choose somewhat larger pots; larger pots retain moisture well and can also accommodate large clumps. Wild-collected orchids are generally planted without dividing the clumps, because large clumps bloom easily; after identifying the variety, they can then be separated for targeted cultivation, and the old pseudobulbs that are separated can be used to cultivate targeted seedlings, increasing the shoot production rate.
5. Mixing medium and planting: Prepare the coarse and fine growing media separately, mix well, add an appropriate amount of clean natural water, and mix again until the soil is moist but does not form balls. When planting orchids, first use the large material to line the bottom, then use medium-coarse particles to plant the roots, and small particles to cover the pseudobulb surface. After planting, there is no need to water to settle the roots. Wait until the pot soil water has dried, then water thoroughly. After planting, place in a cool place for 20 days to one month before transitioning to normal management. In winter and spring, mist the leaf surface once every two days, in the morning; in summer and autumn, mist the leaf surface water twice a day. When misting, be careful not to spray into the pot soil, to avoid overly wet pot soil causing root rot.
6. Moisture retention for newly planted orchids: Cold Orchid roots are thin, small and long, and wild-collected ones have many broken roots; after new planting they cannot supply water and nutrients, and their leaves are large. Some Cold Orchids reach about one meter in height, with leaf width over 20 mm. Therefore, after planting, leaf moisture and air humidity should be maintained. Based on the air humidity in the orchid shed, during the day it should be maintained at 65%-70%, and at night not lower than 80% humidity. Mist pipes or humidifiers can be added in the shed to supplement humidity.
7. Promoting new root growth: Wild-collected Cold Orchids are generally not fertilized in the first year after planting, to avoid root rot. Fifty days after planting, use 600-800 times diluted "Orchid Fungus King" to spray both the front and back of the leaves, preferably 3 times per month, in the afternoon, to promote new root growth. After cultivation, the plants generally can bloom; during care, pay attention to thinning flowers, removing excess flower scapes as soon as they appear. For those whose varieties need to be identified, just select and keep one strong scape, to reduce unnecessary consumption that affects the next year's sprouting and blooming. After flowering, in early spring, water with 500 times diluted Orchid Fungus King solution 2-3 times, or use "National Orchid Sprouting Agent" as well.
8. Disease prevention and pest control: Disease prevention and pest control should follow the principle of "prevention first, medication as supplement." When first collected from the mountain, orchid plants generally carry diseases and pests, especially scale insects that mostly appear on the underside of leaves. Therefore, before planting, strictly and carefully wash, disinfect, sterilize and kill insects, to prevent future disease and pest damage that affects propagation. During treatment, if there are many orchid seedlings, chemical agents can be used for killing and treatment; if the quantity is small, mashed garlic juice mixed with a little edible rice vinegar can be used, dip a cloth in the juice and wipe both sides of the orchid leaves, and at the same time remove diseases and pests on the leaf sheaths. Using organic matter to eliminate diseases and pests is a good method that achieves multiple benefits at once; it is non-toxic, good at pest removal and sterilization, and also makes orchid leaves shiny.
It is worth noting that when temperatures are too high, spraying too much pesticide on plants and young seedlings will affect their growth and sprouting. Some orchid friends say, "My orchids just won't send up shoots, and even when they do, they don't grow. What is the reason?" They do not realize it is the consequence of improper care. Plants are like people; improper medication has adverse effects. The common insecticides and fungicides we use contain many chemical elements harmful to plant growth. For example, frequently using copper-based preparations on orchid leaves, especially applying too much during high-temperature periods, usually leads to problems such as burning orchid leaves and burning leaf tips. In addition, it may also cause root growth disorders and dysfunction in absorption and transport, affecting the balanced growth of the whole plant and causing the problem of few or no shoots. So please, orchid friends, still put prevention first and medication as supplement, and do not use one type of medication for a long time.