On Jun 11, 10:54 am, HC wrote:
G'day

For a couple of years I've had a Pale Pink Cymbidium and after it
bloomed last year I divided it into two pots. It gets fed with orchid
fertiliser on a regular basis and lives under a shrub in the garden
during summer then moved under the pergola (facing north) when the
flower spikes appear as this way I can keep a closer eye on
slugs/snails/etc. It's currently in bloom but they are a cream colour
with a dirty cream streak up the back of the petals...does anyone know
why this orchid has changed colour??

My newer Cymbids are just opening too and I don't want them to change
colour as I bought them because of their current colour. LOL

Thanks in advance
Bronwyn ;-)


Changes in light and temperature while the buds are developing can
wash out or intensify the colour. Pale colours seem particularly prone
because (as you've noticed) it doesn't take a lot colour loss to turn
a lovely pink blush into dirty cream. Generally colder temperatures
and stronger light during bud developments seem to produce better
colour. Lower light is good for getting better whites and greens but
stronger light brings out the reds and yellows etc (NB strong light
can also make the colours fade faster after the flowers open). If YOU
have bloomed the orchid with the pink colours before there's no reason
to think that you won't again. Bear in mind the weather has been all
over the place in recent years and the orchids aren't in a
particularly stable environment if grown out in the open. Expect some
variation between years. See how the others open but if the spikes are
still fairly small you could bring them out from under the pergola and
see if you get better colour.

One last point, obviously you're going to buy a flowering orchid based
on flower colour but be aware that the colour you see may not
necessarily be the same as the colour you end up with. Cymbidiums
particularly are often forced by commercial nurseries to produce a
salable product faster. You may notice differences in colour intensity
under your conditions.

Andrew