Cymbidium lowianum

Low's boat orchid

A large Cymbidium from the mountains of Yunnan, Myanmar, northern Thailand and Vietnam. In late winter and spring it carries long, arching spikes of green flowers with a red-brown V on the lip, and it is one of the main ancestors of modern standard cymbidium hybrids. It grows on trees and cliffs at about 1300–1900 m, with a hot, wet summer and a marked dry season with cool nights, and it needs the same bright, cool-night treatment as hybrid cymbidiums.

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry

Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows on trees (epiphyte)

Where it grows wild

The Flora of China lists it on trees in forests and on cliffs along valleys. Other species accounts describe it in shaded montane cloud forest. The large clumps of pseudobulbs and long leaves sit on big branches or rock ledges, with roots in thick moss and humus.

The Flora of China gives 1300–1900 m and other accounts give 1200–2400 m. All three measured records with elevations are at 1800 m.

AssamChina South-CentralLaosMyanmarThailandVietnam

🔒 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.