This weeks Orchid of the week is… Cym. Valley Picture
Parentage: Cym. Valley Angel × Cym. Valley Furnace
Registered: 1992
The reason why it’s our Orchid of the Week:
Brown Cymbidiums come in and out of favour over the years, and they aren’t the most desired of colours, but this one was a nice addition to my collection about 15 years ago. My cultivar is ‘Emperor’ and is is a huge flowerer with lovely shape and a very nice spotted lip, and a nice faint perfume to top it off!
It is a large bulbed plant with a very strong thick tall upright spike habit and big flowers that are easily 10cm across. Spikes that don’t need to be staked until the last couple of weeks just to keep them safe. You’ll need plenty of room to grow this plant! Again, something a little different, but it stands out and grabs people’s attention when it flowers!
I last flowered this plant in 2022 and it’s back in flower again this year!
Of note, Valley Picture is one of the parents for the well known Valley Freestyle, which has enjoyed a very popular following.
Looking back at the original species ancestors of this plant, using Orchid Roots Cym. insigne and Cym. lowianum are the main contributors present in the distant background.