This week’s Orchid of the Week is… Cym. New Century
Parentage: This weeks Orchid of the Week is a cross between Cym. Sarah Jean × Cym. Alexanderi
Registered: 1995
The reason why it’s our Orchid of the Week:
This week’s Orchid of the Week is a cute miniature/intermediate pink with masses of flowers. On show, at the September Cymbidium Orchid Club of South Australia, with several spikes, Cym. New Century ‘Rosie’ was a lovely plant to see. The soft pink flowers are a wonderfully attractive contrast to the foliage.
Bred from Cym. Sarah Jean, Cym. New Century has retained its miniature/intermediate sized flowers, however, in contrast to Cym. Sarah Jean, had upright spikes. The flowers were beautifully proportioned too!
Cym. Alexanderi is the other parent, and is a very well known plant. In particular, Cym. Alexanderi ‘Westonbirt’, the tetraploid version, is probably the most famous Cymbidium Orchid in history. Registered in 1911, it has been one of the most talked about, and influential Cym’s ever. Cym. Alexanderi has been used in breeding an astonishing number of times. It has 429 registered progeny……! No doubt the plant has been used many more times in unregistered hybrids too. Most of the large-flowered Cymbidium hybrids, and an increasing number of the more modest-sized hybrids can trace back to Cym. Alexanderi ‘Westonbirt’ at some point.
Cym. Alexanderi ‘Westonbirt’ has been a sort of ‘unicorn’ plant for so many people over the years. Including myself!
I have been lucky enough to obtain a backbulb of Cym. Alexanderi ‘Westonbirt’ from a grower I know, and I do guard it jealously and watch it like a hawk to make sure I don’t lose it! My plant still only consists of 2 small growths, but one day I look forward to flowering it!
An article on Cym. Alexanderi ‘Westonbirt’ can be found here for those interested in reading further. The history of this plant is quite fascinating.
Looking back at the original species ancestors of this plant, using Orchid Roots, Cym. insigne, Cym. floribundum, Cym. lowianum and Cym. eburnerum are the major contributors in the distant background.