Cymbidium tracyanum is one species commonly available and is usually seen on club benches anywhere from April through June, depending on which state you live in. Arguably the most distinctive of the genus, Cym. tracyanum is easily recognized by its twisted tepals and distinctive spotted and striped patterning. Flowers are generally cream to green, heavily overlaid with reddish-brown to dark red. Its labellum is white, spotted with burgundy or red. It is a large-growing plant with long, arching spikes carrying fifteen or so large flowers. Specimen-sized plants with multiple spikes can look quite stunning. Culturally, Cym. tracyanum will grow and flower under the same conditions which suit Cymbidium hybrids.

Beware of an old primary hybrid (Doris) which is still quite common and is often mislabelled as Cym. tracyanum. It flowers in August to September and has more pinkish-coloured flowers.

Cymbidium lowianum is the cornerstone for many early hybrids and one of the hardiest of the species. The striking red "vee" on the labellum can still be clearly seen in the labellums of many of today's hybrids. It is a moderate-sized plant which carries arching spikes of fifteen to twenty-five flowers.

There are a number of different clones of the species in circulation, including ‘Comte d’ Hemptinne’, arguably one of the best. The type form of the species has green petals and sepals (sometimes with a reddish overlay) and the labellum is white with a bold red "vee".

Note that Lowio-grandiflorum is often mislabelled as lowianum. This primary hybrid has a much cleaner, solid green colour than lowianum and the “vee” markings are spotted rather than solid.

The alba (pure colour) form of the species was historically known as Cym. lowianum var. concolor. The flowers are a clean apple green and the white labellum has a yellow "vee". Unfortunately Cym. lowianum 'Concolor' is another victim of mislabelling – many plants labelled as this in Australia are actually lowianum hybrids.

Once classified as a separate species, Cym. iansonii is now considered to be a variety of Cym. lowianum (officially known as Cym. lowianum var. kalawense, but nobody uses this name for it).

It varies in colour from orange-yellow to orange-brown, with a similar “vee” pattern on the labellum (albeit orange or red-brown in colour). It also has a more upright spike and fewer flowers than the type..

It is considerably rarer in cultivation than lowianum var. lowianum, although the culture is similar.

The discovery of Cym. insigne was probably one of the most influential in Cymbidium hybridising. The species features tall, upright spikes with medium to large flowers that can number twenty or more. The type form produces pink blooms (of varying shades) with white labellums spotted purple-red, but there are also two other colour forms. Cym. insigne var. album AM/RHS is the white form of the species; it is not actually a genetic alba, just a white-coloured form. The true alba form (pictured), which lacks the ability to produce the anthocyanin pigments that make reds, pinks, oranges, etc., has been used to create alba forms of Cym. Pauwelsii (the primary hybrid with lowianum).

It is a rewarding species to grow and prefers to be kept on the dry side during winter.

The true nature of Cym. sanderae – and the related Cym. parishii – is still debated, but historically it has been represented by the single diploid clone Cym. parishii ‘Sanderae’ (aka Cym. parishii var. sanderae) and its tetraploid (4N) conversion, ‘Emma Menninger’. The flower colour is white, offset by heavy dark red blotching on its white labellum.

The ‘Sanderae’ clone is the type for Cym. sanderae and produces up to 19 flowers per spike (which can be axial or basal), whereas ‘Emma Menninger’ produces 12-14 flowers. Other examples of this “species”, more recently collected, appear to produce only 3-7 flowers per spike and may represent a hybrid swam. The original Cym. parishii type has been lost to history, but was reported to produce only 2-3 flowers on axial spikes.

Cymbidium erythrostylum is a more compact growing plant than those mentioned so far; correspondingly, its flower spikes are shorter, though its flowers are quite large. Cym. erythrostylum has a very distinctive flower form with its forward-pointing petals shielding a small labellum lined with pinkish red; its sepals are large and full-shaped and a bit unruly-looking. The petals and sepals are pristine white. The overall effect is quite beautiful and due to its compact plant size, an impressive specimen can be produced with many flower spikes in a 200mm pot.

More recently the alba form of the species has entered cultivation, featuring yellow lines on the labellum rather than typical pink-red.

Like Cym. insigne, it prefers less water during winter.

Cymbidium hookerianum is also known as Cym. grandiflorum (although this name shouldn’t be used due to the rules of precedence, as it had been used for a different species almost a century earlier) and is one of the largest-flowered Cym species. It is strongly scented like Cym. tracyanum and typically features clean green flowers on a low-arching spike, although a variety exists with some small spots on the ventral sepals.

One of its hybrids, Lowio-grandiflorum, is often confused with Cym. lowianum. It has been used to produce clean colours in hybrids. It does not tolerate the heat well, though, and heat waves have been known to wipe out collections of the species in New South Wales.

Again, it prefers less water in winter and likes to be protected from the elements.

Cymbidium iridioides, previously known as Cym. giganteum, produces long, arching spikes with up to 20 scented blooms up to 100mm across. The flowers are coloured from ginger-brown to red and the labellum has a yellow centre outlined by red blotches. While somewhat similar to Cym. tracyanum, it is neither as showy nor as large and does not have the sinewy, twisted petals and sepals of Cym. tracyanum. Never-the-less, it is an attractive species, especially when the plant grows large enough to carry several flower spikes.

The early primary hybrid Cym. Bennett-Poei (tracyanum x iridioides) is still in circulation here in Australia and is unfortunately often confused for this species. Bennett-Poei often exhibits a paler, wider and more finely-spotted lip than iridioides.

Cymbidium erythraeum has similarities to Cym. tracyanum, though it produces smaller flowers at around 80mm across. This species is particularly attractive in its own right and can make a fine specimen plant capable of carrying many spikes and flowers. The flower pattern is similar to Cym. tracyanum; flowers are predominantly green with degrees of red/brown on the petals and sepals. The labellum is white with a red midline and a few scattered red spots at the edges, making a highlight against the darker petals and sepals. The foliage is finer than that of either tracyanum or iridioides.

There are two varieties of this species – the Indian variety (Cym. erythraeum var. erythraeum) and the Chinese variety (Cym. erythraeum var. flavum) – both of which have differences in the spike habits and blooms. The Indian variety features more rectangular blooms with straighter tepals on strongly arching to pendulous spikes; the Chinese variety has more curved tepals on more upright (high arch) spikes. Both varieties also have their own alba (pure colour) forms which are pastel green.

Cymbidium dayanum easily produces specimen plants and can produce several spikes from each bulb. The pendulous spikes are capable of carrying up to twenty flowers of around 40mm across. While the flowers are quite starry and taller than they are wide, they are most attractive, being coloured ivory-white with broad red mid lines in petals and sepals. The labellum is almost totally red with a white centre bordered in yellow. Cym. dayanum is not a large-growing plant and a specimen can easily be achieved in a 200mm pot.

Three colour forms exist for this species – the type, a solid red form (classified as Cym. dayanum var. angustifolium) and the alba form (Cym. dayanum f. album, which is a clean ivory to cream colour). The red type has the longest-lived flowers, whereas the alba form has the shortest.

It is one of the heat-tolerant species and will readily cope with the hot Australian summers as long as it is not allowed to get sunburnt and is given plenty of water during the warmer months of the year.

Cymbidium devonianum is a miniature species with blooms that vary quite a bit in colouration. The spikes are pendulous whilst the foliage tends to be upright, short and wide. It has been used more recently in hybridising to add dramatic, dark labellums to hybrids. Cym. Memoria Amelia Earhart is an example of a modern devonianum hybrid.

Cymbidium floribundum (formerly Cym. pumilum) is responsible for the majority of miniature hybrids, such as the well-known Cym. Sarah Jean. There are two colour forms – a brown-red (the type form) and plain green (also known as Cym. floribundum var. album). The latter is an interesting case, as it is not a true alba. The species is not particularly compatible with the large-flowered species, as it often produces infertile offspring and rarely allows for albas in the F2 generation.