Boat Orchids (Cymbidium cultivars and hybrids)

Flower Field, Flower Dome

Cymbidium is one of the most familiar and widely admired genera in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). Comprising around 90 species, including approximately 15 natural hybrids, these sympodial orchids may grow as epiphytes i.e. living on trees for support without taking nutrients from them. Others are lithophytes, growing on rocks, while some are terrestrial and grow directly in the ground. They are distributed widely across tropical and subtropical Asia to Australia.

Cymbidiums are distinguished by their elongated, strap-like leaves, which emerge in fans from their pseudobulbs and form a refined, arching silhouette. In many species, particularly the Oriental cymbidiums, the foliage itself is highly ornamental, sometimes prized for its variegation as much as for its fragrant flowers.

Although their geographic region of origin cannot be determined just by looking at them casually, most modern complex Cymbidium hybrids trace their lineage to cool-growing Asian species, spanning across the Himalayas to Indo-China. With Cymbidium insigne playing a major role in hybridisation, other such species that played a significant role in the development of standard-sized hybrids includes Cymbidium eburneum, Cymbidium hookerianum, Cymbidium sanderae, and Cymbidium erythrostylum. Introduced into cultivation around the 1900s, these species became the foundation of breeding efforts, and within the following two decades numerous hybrids derived from these species were produced.

The exhibited cymbidiums bear flowers measuring approximately 7–10 cm across, a size that makes them especially popular both as potted plants and in the cut-flower trade. Flower spikes may be upright or gracefully pendulous, carrying more than ten blooms on a single inflorescence. The flowers are typically large and showy, displayed in shades of yellow, pink, and red, frequently enhanced by contrasting lips, bold markings, or subtle striping. Their enduring popularity is well-justified by their relative ease of cultivation, broad spectrum of colours, and exceptional floral longevity.

The most distinctive feature is the lip petal, or labellum, which often serves as the focal point of the flower. It is this characteristic lip petal that gives the genus its name Cymbidium, which derived from the Latin word cymba, meaning “boat,” a reference to the distinctive boat-shaped lip petal of some Cymbidium species.

Hybrid cymbidiums have existed since the time of Confucius, originating from the smaller-flowered Oriental cymbidium species (section Jensoa) which also form natural hybrids in the wild. These naturally occurring hybrids were readily collected and cultivated, valued not only for their distinctive floral forms but also for their fragrance, with rare hybrid plants also exhibiting beautifully variegated foliage with cream or yellow margins. Today’s modern hybrids display tremendous diversity in colour, form, and size. The inflorescences can remain fresh for eight to ten weeks when kept dry and free from direct water contact, making Cymbidium hybrids among the longest-lasting orchids and comparable to Phalaenopsis hybrids.

Plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboo are collectively known as the ‘Four Gentlemen’ in Chinese art and literati tradition, each symbolising virtues admired in Confucian thought. Among them, the orchid represents refinement, humility, and moral integrity. In China, Cymbidium orchids are far more than botanical specimens; they are enduring cultural symbols. Confucius likened the orchid’s subtle fragrance to the presence of a noble person whose goodness influences others quietly and without self-display, and who remains steadfast in moral principle even in times of hardship. Over centuries, cymbidiums became deeply embedded in Chinese art, poetry, and philosophy, embodying ideals central to the cultivated scholar. Even today, their graceful leaves and understated blooms appear in paintings, ceramics, furniture, and decorative motifs across the Chinese diaspora.

It is for this rich blend of horticultural excellence and cultural symbolism that cymbidium forms an important part of the plant palette for this themed display celebrating the Lunar New Year. Spot these brightly coloured orchids among the plum, bamboo, and chrysanthemum in the Spring Blossoms display at Flower Field in Flower Dome!

This article is part of our What's Blooming series.