Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.. (Winston Churchill)
Member since:07.12.2002
Reviews:261
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For Easter this year, my husband surprised me with a beautiful Vuylstekeara Cambria Orchid. With its elegant long stem bowed over from the abundant small butterfly shaped flowers, the plant does look uniquely stunning.
I say uniquely - but apparently this is the most widely grown orchid in the world!! It is a hybrid orchid produced by crossing three different original orchids: Cochlioda, Miltonia and Odontoglossu.
I had always thought the orchid to be a difficult plant to keep. Thankfully it is not. The plant does require care but nothing too difficult or unachievable in ordinary home circumstances.
~What’s in a name?~
The Vuylstekeara Cambria Orchid is a member of the orchid family which are distinguished by the differentiation of one petal into a lip (labellum).
It was originally produced by the Belgian orchid grower Charles Vuylsteker in 1911 and he gave the orchid his name. Cambria is a latinised form of Cymru which is the Welsh name for Wales.
~Appearance and fragrance~
Do not be misled by the picture shown by Ciao. The Vuylstekeara Cambria Orchid is a single long stem with several
flowers (25 on my plant) emanating from top part of the stem causing it to bend over. The flower has a bigger front petal known as the lip (labellum) which is white tinged with crimson. Radiating out from behind the lip are five yellow petals with two crimson stripes in a symmetrical pattern (like a butterfly).
The orchid flower stem rises from egg-shaped, flattened pseudo-bulbs along with about 3 leaves. The orchid flowers twice a year (autumn to spring) with the flowers lasting for 1 – 3 months.
The Vuylstekeara Cambria Orchid has a subtle fragrance - only disernible close to the plant.
~How to care for the Vuylstekeara Cambria Orchid~
The orchid needs to be placed in a well-lit position but not in direct sunlight during the growing season (March-September). If it does get too much sunlight the tips of the leaves will begin to burn and develop black spots.
As this is a hybrid, it is tolerant of a wide variety of temperatures. The optimum night-time temperature between 10 – 16 degrees Celsius and day-time temperature is between 18 – 24 degrees Celsius. The humidity should be on the high side with good ventilation (but no drafts).
It is the watering of the orchid that can result in the most problems. It is best to use rain or distilled water. It is very easy to over-water the orchid. NEVER stand the orchid in water – always water from the top. However you must also not let the orchid become too dry so that the bulbs start to shrivel! Water about once a week. A rule of thumb, if you are unsure about whether to water or not, - don’t. Too much water is worse than not enough.
You can give the plant some special orchid fertilizer once a month. Types of fertilizer available on the market include Iven’s Orchid Feed After flowering, cut off the old flower stems close to the base. New flowers will develop from new pseudo bulbs.
The orchid is usually bought in a nursery pot. It will need re-potting into a larger container every one to one and a half years. The best time to re-pot is in the spring or autumn. The pot should have holes in the bottom in order to drain off excess water preventing root rot.
Orchid compost is available from most garden centre and is a mixture of moss and bark.
~Cost and availability~
As I mentioned the orchid was a present from my husband. It was be rude to ask him details of the price and where he got the plant from. The information I have gained is from the internet and is current at the time of review.
Interflora offer the Vuylstekeara Cambria Orchid (delivered) for £27.98 with the description “planted in a classic, white, flared ceramic, this exotic, long-flowering Cambria Orchid is an ideal centrepiece for any home”
Marks and Spencers retail the Vuylstekeara Cambria Orchid for £25.00.
Many garden centres also stock the Orchid for sale at varying prices (usually around £20). Check with your nearest centre for price.
~Personal Recommendation~
I do love my orchid. It is very elegant and pretty – and invariably becomes a conversation starter. Everybody comments on it.
It is surprisingly easy to care for. I am not usually good at keeping house plants tending to usually over-water! However, the instructions for the orchid are very clear and easy to follow. So far so good – the orchid is still looking healthy and happy!!
It is perhaps a little expensive to buy – but flowering twice yearly with a long life expectancy it is good value for money.
Pictures of Cambria Orchid
Flowers
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
great review. I bought a sad looking phalaenopsis from the bargin basement section in my local garden centre last year. When it started to flower all my friends and realtives donated me their neglected orchids - now my windowsills are full! Be warned, you will not only have one for long!
vivwoods 02.12.2007 18:01
I love Orchids and own 2 (but they are artificial from www.bloom.co .uk) as i didn't think they'd be this easy to care for.I might get a real one now after reading this...Thanks xxx Viv
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