Cycnodes Wine Delight

Cycnodes Wine Delight is a hybrid registered by Fuchs Jr. in 1/1/1980. Its parents are Cycnoches lehmanii and Mormodes sinuata. They are also called “Swan Orchids” as the flowers when looked at from the sides resembles a figure of a swan.

Cycnodes Wine Delight produces a wonderful fragrant in the morning only. This is because in their native land, a male bee, which uses the fragrance to manufacture pheromones, is only active in the morning collecting the fragrance. It’s amazing how the relationship between plant and bee develop and evolve. I was wondering will over time because there is no bee to collect the fragrance, will the plant eventually stop producing fragrance??

Cycnoches is a genus with about 60 species. They are natives from tropical America. This is a sympodial genus. This genus as a whole has long slender psuedobulbs, which looked like cigars and has have thin, veined deciduous leaves with an inflorescence that starts from the bottom nodes. Unlike most orchids, this genus produces unisexual flowers. I came across an article saying the light levels during bud development determines the sex of the flower but I couldn’t recall if brighter lights gives male flowers or the reverse. The male flowers have a longer column with a spring loaded pollina.

Some books I read advise growers to actually take the plant out of the pot and cut away all the roots and then place the psuedobulb in a dry lighted area until the new growth is visible. It is then potted up and the new lead is allowed to grow to 2-3" before application of water and fertilizer resumes. If watering starts too early, there is a tendency to loose the plant and the new growth rots easily. After that heavy feeding will ensure big strong psuedobulbs and sometimes my plants with big psuedobulbs will develop a second inflorescence before the plant goes to sleep.

Encyclia cordigera

I’ve 2 Encyclia cordigera plants and both of them are in season now. One of them is actually in bloom. The flowers has a slight fragrance detected only at close quarters.

This species can be found naturally in Mexico, Central America, Columbia & Venezuela. It a sympodial with a walnut sized oval psuedobulb and flowers will grow from the top of a mature psuedobulb. A healthy plant can produce up to 15 long lasting flowers.

My plant is grown in a 5 inch pot with crushed tree fern bark as medium. A book “100 Orchids for the American Gardener” (available from National Library) recommends to mount this plant on bark instead. The key is to give sufficient moisture to ensure that the psuedobulbs do not shrivel up and good circulation around the plant. The book also recommends 50% shade. Mine is hung at the edge of a planter rack with shade cloth and I am sure they are accustomed to more light.

The genus Encyclia has approximately 242 species and are natives of Mexico, West Indies, Central and South America. Some of the species were classified under the genus Epidendrum in the pass and in fact, Encyclia cordigera was known as Epidendrum atropurpureum. The flowers of this genus are mostly honey brown, cream, yellow and rose shades. Many species produces fragrant flowers. Encyclia fragrans is one such plant which can be seen in the Orchidarium section of the National Orchid Garden.

Dendrobium Hoshimusume

Dendrobium Hoshimusume = Den. Oriental Paradise x Den. Otohime.
Registered by Yamamoto in 1/1/1977 according to records in RHS.

I bought this plant 3 years ago and never put much hope that it will re-flower as it is of the cool growing nobile type dendrobium. For the past 3 years it just grow leaves and keikis. I was very surprised when I found 3 buds and yesterday they bloomed. Though it was just 1 plant with 3 flowers, it has given me hope that perhaps if I did the right thing more there will be more flowers.

So, I went to do some research and found that it likes bright lights and should be given a dry spell during "winter". The book also advise to water and fertilize freely during active growing phase. This is very similar to the Den. anosmum! So, other that temperature, I could supply the other conditions if I grow them like the anosmum. Well, if this can flower, I shall re-arrange the plants and shall hope to see more flowers next season.

Rhyncostylis gigantea

I have 2 out of 4 Rhyncostylis gigantea in bloom now. The flower spikes of the other 2 somehow stop developing after about 2cm. They were probably victims to aphids or thrips 2-3 months ago when I was occupied elsewhere. I bought them in January 2004 and they bloom again in January last year. The 2 in bloom in fact they were late this year and perhaps this is what saves the flowers. I have tried on occasions to cut back the use of pesticides but each with disastrous results. My next-door neighbor who planted a wall of “greens” also engaged a contractor to maintain their plants and will perform fogging weekly.





The Rhyncostylis gigantea I own has 2 flower varieties - one purple with white markings and the other mostly white with dark pink spots. Both are fragrant and can throw multiple spikes at the same time.

This genus has only 4 species. They are commonly used in hybridization to produce desirable characteristics in hybrids. They can be found from India to Southeast Asia to the Philippines. This genus differs from Vandas by the one-lobed lip. They prefer some shade instead of direct sun. It is a monopodial genus with leathery leaves and fragrant flowers. Being monopodial means that they need uniform watering and consistent feeding application to do well.

I have read that they prefer wood slat basket culture with little or no potting material but I have mine in a pot with Sphagnum moss. This is just the condition when I bought them 2 years ago. The pots are hung under shade cloth in a planter rack that I bought specially for my orchids.