Cymbidium ensifolium

Four-season orchid

A small terrestrial Cymbidium with grassy leaves and fragrant, pale yellow-green flowers in summer and autumn, cultivated in China for more than a thousand years. It grows in open forest, thickets and grassy valley slopes at 600–1800 m, with hot, wet summers and cool, drier winters. It needs a fine, fast-draining terrestrial mix, moderate light and a distinct cooler winter.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry

Light Dappled lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

A terrestrial orchid of open forests, thickets and grassy places along valleys. It roots into the leaf litter and humus of the forest floor or of banks, often on slopes where water drains away fast. The small pseudobulbs sit at or just below the surface among thick, fleshy roots.

The Flora of China gives 600–1800 m. Measured records span 500–1700 m (median 1250 m), which matches well.

AssamCambodiaChina South-CentralChina SoutheastHainanJapanKoreaLaosMyanmarPhilippinesTaiwanThailandTibetVietnam

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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More Cymbidium

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY 2.0 licence, unmodified.