This week’s Orchid Wise Orchid of the Week is… Cym. Itchycoo Park
Parentage: This week’s Orchid of the Week is a cross between Cym. Phar Lap x Cym. devonianum
Registered: 1993
The reason why it’s our Orchid of the Week:
This week, I’m continuing last week’s focus on recent species-influenced plants. And although this particular registration is getting on a bit, Cym. Itchycoo Park genuinely stops you in your tracks when you see it in person! In particular, this cultivar — ‘Irvine Grove’ — produces wonderfully dark miniature to intermediate sized flowers on a cascading spike. Furthermore, Cym. devonianum generously contributes excellent flower counts. These typically reach fifteen and more, and as a result, a well-grown specimen creates a truly impressive display.
Turning to the lineage, Cym. devonianum exerts a very high influence from both sides of the cross, while Cym. madidum rounds out the recent species contributors. Beyond those two, however, Cym. Sensation also enters the mix — a very famous plant from yesteryear that brings the rich red colouring so central to this flower’s dramatic character.
And dramatic it certainly is! An almost blacked-out red labellum deepens the richness of the flower considerably, while the petals sit delicately framed in white. This contrast elevates the whole look beautifully. Together, these elements combine to produce something very eye catching Consequently, this is absolutely a plant I would welcome into my collection, primarily for its sheer dramatic appearance. Beyond that, though, I’m confident I could find several interesting breeding partners for it — and the results of those crosses would be well worth waiting for!
The above image appeared on the Cymbidium Collectors Group Facebook page.
Tracing the plant’s heritage, as registered, using Orchid Roots, its primary species ancestors are Cym. devonianum, Cym. madidum and Cym. insigne.