This week’s Orchid Wise Orchid of the Week is… Cym. Pakkret Keystone ‘Sundaani’
Parentage: This week’s Orchid of the Week is a cross between Cym. Tapioca Tundra × Cym. canaliculatum
Registered: 2019
The reason why it’s our Orchid of the Week:
Early flowering Cymbidiums still create a bit of a gap in the yearly Cymbidium blooming calendar. Yet growers now see that gap closing fast, because breeders everywhere continue to target this long underdeveloped part of the season. As a result, we gain more interesting options every single year, and the momentum feels exciting.
As this momentum grows, the new “earlies” offer a striking range of colours, patterns, and flower sizes. This fresh diversity keeps pulling enthusiasts back in, and it injects real energy into the early-season bench. Although a good portion of these early flowering plants are diploid, the tetraploid range is growing fast!
Cym. Tapioca Tundra combines Cym. Golden Elf with Cym. insigne. Cym. Golden Elf already flowers early and carries Cym. ensifolium in its lineage, so it contributes dependable early-season genetics. When breeders combine those strengths with Cym. canaliculatum, the result becomes a small intermediate to large miniature flower carried on upright or arching spikes. The plant structure looks tidy, is compact and the flowers hold strong character.
Bred and registered by Pakkret Floriculture, they continues to develop a good portion of the early flowering and warmth-tolerant breeding happening today. They keep expanding their range every season, and growers now have an impressive list of choices because of that focus. If you want reliable early spikes in a warm climate, their breeding program gives you plenty to explore.
Recognition on the Judging Bench
In an encouraging sign for Australian judging, this particular plant earned an Award of Distinction from the Australian Orchid Council in April 2023—our autumn flowering period. Sundaani Orchids, close friends of mine, grow and own this plant, and they maintain it as a compact, beautifully presented specimen. Their achievement shows how far early-flowering breeding has come, and it highlights the potential we now see in this once-neglected slice of the season. Having flowers such as this recognised gives me faith that the days of only awarding round tetraploids are numbered, and that flowers are being judged on their merits.
Tracing the plant’s heritage using Orchid Roots, its primary species ancestors are Cym. canaliculatum, Cym. insigne and Cym. ensifolium.
The above image and information was obtained from the Australian Orchid Council website.