Read more of cultivation of Cynorkis uniflora Lindl.
Light:
2000-3000 fc. Light should be filtered or diffused, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 79-81F (26-27C), and nights average 61-62F (16-17C), with a diurnal range of 17-20F (9-11C).
Humidity:
75-80% most of the year, dropping to near 65% for a short time in spring.
Water:
Rainfall is very heavy from late spring to early autumn. Amounts then decrease fairly rapidly at the beginning of the 5-month dry season, which lasts from late autumn to early spring. Cultivated plants should be watered heavily while actively growing. Water should be reduced after new growth is completed in autumn.
Fertilizer:
1/4-1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers prefer to use a balanced fertilizer throughout the year; but others use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 69-71F (21-22C), and nights average 49-51F (9-11C), with a diurnal range of 19-22F (11-12C). Rainfall in the habitat is low in winter, but additional moisture usually is available from heavy dew and mist. Cultivated plants need less water in winter, but they should not dry out completely. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
Hawkes (1965) suggested that "These orchids are best grown in rather shallow, perfectly-drained pots or pans, filled with a porous compost of shredded osmunda, fibrous loam, gritty sand, and chopped sphagnum moss." He stated, "Most of the Cynorkis have somewhat tuberous roots, and are at least partially deciduous. Although they require quantities of water while in active growth, when the foliage starts to become yellow and wither, moisture should be virtually stopped. Care must be taken, however, that the compost never dries our completely, or the tubers may become overly desiccated. When the new shoots again appear at the surface, water should be resumed." Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium becomes stale or remains soggy after watering as these plants are very intolerant of sour conditions at the roots. With this in mind, it is probably advisable to repot every year while the plant is dormant, particularly if chopped sphagnum moss is included in the potting mix.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
