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Conservatory Greenhouse

Cymbidium tracyanum

Tracy's boat orchid

A large-sized, evergreen, epiphytic orchid with linear, dark-green, leathery leaves. Egg-shaped pseudobulbs up to 12cm tall and 6cm are enclosed in several wider, leaf-bearing sheaths. The leaves, up to 80cm long and 2.5cm wide are distinctly ridged on the underside and with paler green veins. Strongly fragrant, yellow-green flowers, 9cm across, striped brown or brown-red, with pale lip speckled with purple-brown, are borne in arching racemes up to 130cm long in autumn and early winter

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1.5–2.5 metres

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1C

Botanical details

Family: Orchidaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus: Cymbidium are epiphytic, lithophytic or terrestrial orchids with prominent spherical to ovoid pseudobulbs, long linear leaves and fleshy white roots. Several long lasting showy flowers with a distinctive 3-lobed lip are borne on erect or arching flower spikes from the bases of the pseudobulbs
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in an open, free-draining orchid compost with addition of perlite, sphagnum moss or coir. Requires day temperatures around 16°C and 10°C at night. Provide good light levels, but avoid direct sunlight. Water plants thoroughly when compost is almost dry, allow to drain and use orchid fertiliser regularly during growing season. Reduce watering in winter. Place outside in dappled shade during the summer months to aid flower initiation. See cymbidium cultivation for more detailed information.

Propagation

Propagation by seed is only possible in a controlled laboratory environment. Mature plants may be divided in early or mid spring, when the plant overgrows its container. Each division should have at least 3 older pseudobulbs with a sufficient amount of stored energy and water, to support new growth and reduce stress after repotting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

No pruning required. Cut down flowered stems to base

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, glasshouse red spider mite, scale insects and mealybugs

Diseases

Generally disease-free. Sterilising cutting tools may prevent virus diseases, such as Cymbidium Mosaic Virus (CMV)

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