Cinnamon orchid - Origin, meaning and detailed planting instructions

Cinnamon orchid (white cinnamon, August cinnamon) is a precious wild orchid, with straight stems, thick, sturdy leaves, ivory-white flowers, and a strong, far-reaching fragrance.

Cinnamon orchid (scientific name: Aerides Odorata) is one of the rare and very popular wild orchids in Vietnam thanks to its outstanding beauty and strong, seductive fragrance. Not only does it have a luxurious beauty thanks to its ivory-colored flowers, but Aerides Odorata also has many meanings in feng shui and life.

In today's article, let's explore in detail the origin, characteristics as well as basic planting and care techniques for Cinnamon orchids to help you succeed with this orchid species.

Origin of cinnamon

Cinnamon orchid also has many names such as white cinnamon, August cinnamon.

Aerides Odorata, also known as white cinnamon orchid, August cinnamon, scientific name is Aerides Odorata, a species of orchid belonging to the genus Aerides. This is a wild orchid native to Southeast Asia, popular in the following countries:

• India, Bhutan, Nepal
• Myanmar, Thailand, Laos
• China
• Vietnam: One of the places with the most beautiful cinnamon orchid varieties, distributed throughout the country from the North, Central Highlands to the South.

Currently, in Vietnam, the number of cinnamon trees in nature is seriously decreasing due to overexploitation. In some localities, cinnamon trees are listed as "Rare forest trees" that need strict protection and gene conservation.

The name “Odorata” in Latin means “fragrant,” referring to the characteristic aroma of cinnamon.

Meaning of cinnamon

Cinnamon is a meaningful gift on holidays,...

Cinnamon orchid is not only a rare wild orchid with pure beauty but it also has many values ​​in culture, feng shui as well as spiritual life. Specifically as follows:

• A symbol of nobility and purity, likened to "a young lady in the deep forest".
• In orchid culture, Cinnamon orchid is also considered a symbol of a gentleman and humility.
• In feng shui, cinnamon has the ability to dispel evil spirits, bring peace to the homeowner, suitable for display during Tet or weddings.
• Cinnamon has a pleasant aroma, helps reduce stress, aids sleep, and is a spiritual therapy that brings peace to the grower.
• Cinnamon is also a meaningful gift for housewarming, Tet, wedding, anniversary,...

How to identify cinnamon

Close-up of leaves, roots, stems and flowers of Cassia tora.

To help you easily recognize Cinnamon orchids among hundreds of orchid species in the genus Dendrobium, below we have listed the most detailed information about the morphological and growth characteristics of this orchid species. Let's find out now.

Close :

• Single stem orchid, growing upright, length reaching from 30 - 100 cm
• The body is light green, with faint purple stripes when mature.
• The stem grows slowly, only growing a few centimeters each year, but is very strong.

Roots :

• Large, wind-like roots that grow out from the trunk.
• The roots are silvery white, the root tip is light green when the roots are young, turning dark green when the roots are old.

Leaves :

• Long, thick leaves, leaf sheaths hug the stem, grow alternately and arrange like dragon scales
• Leaves are very thick, hard, leaf tips are missing, slightly curled inward.
• Leaves are 15 - 25 cm long, 3 - 5 cm wide, and larger than wild orchids.

Flower :

• Flowers grow in long hanging clusters, each cluster has from 10 to 30 small flowers.
• The flower is creamy white mixed with pink, the petals are round, thick, and have a slight shine.
• The flower has a strong fragrance that spreads several meters and lasts for many hours.
• Flowers bloom from May to July, flowers stay fresh for 15 - 25 days

Detailed techniques for planting and caring for Cinnamon orchids for beginners

A pot of cinnamon orchid is grown with coconut fiber and pine bark.

Although cinnamon orchids are a wild orchid, they are quite easy to grow, completely suitable for beginners, as long as you grasp the basic techniques that we guide below:

Selecting and processing cinnamon varieties

The first important step when planting cinnamon is to choose healthy varieties and treat them well to help the plant grow strongly, bloom on time, and have few pests and diseases.

Breed selection criteria :

• Choose seeds from reputable nurseries
• The tree trunk is thick, straight, not crushed, not broken, and free of pests and diseases.
• Priority is given to separating from the mother plant because of its quick adaptability and ease of planting.

Treatment of cinnamon orchid seeds before planting :

• Cut off dry, damaged roots and remove rotten leaves.
• Wash the plant to remove dirt and old substrate.
• Soak seedlings in Physan 20 solution or lime water for 10 - 15 minutes to disinfect.
• If the plant does not have roots, you can stimulate roots with diluted B1/Atonik.
• After soaking, take it out and let it drain for 1-2 days before grafting and planting the orchid in the pot.

Prepare the growing medium for cinnamon orchids

Cinnamon orchids are airy, slightly humid orchids and cannot tolerate waterlogging, so they need a substrate that drains quickly, is airy, and retains moisture but does not cause waterlogging. You can refer to some of the following substrates:

• Longan wood, star apple wood, coconut fiber Soak in lime water for 1 - 2 days to remove fungus.
• Honeycomb coal, charcoal, pine bark, pumice, coconut fiber, and forest moss are suitable for planting in pots. They need to be soaked in diluted lime water and dried in the sun for at least 1-2 days before planting.

Techniques for planting/grafting Cinnamon

Cinnamon orchids are airy-loving orchids, so the best option is to hang them, but if you don't have space to hang them, you can grow them in pots.

Technique of grafting cinnamon orchid onto wood/driftwood:

• Place the seedling on a wooden board, with the leaves facing out to catch the sun, and the roots hugging the growing medium.
• Use zip ties or wire to secure the base to the wood/driftwood, do not tighten as this may damage the stem.
• If the climate is hot and dry, you should cover the base with a layer of moss or coconut husk to keep the tree moist.
• Hang in a cool place, only spray lightly for the first 3 - 4 days.

Techniques for growing cinnamon in pots:

• Place a layer of rocks or gravel at the bottom of the pot to increase drainage.
• Add charcoal and pine bark to ⅔ of the pot, do not compact.
• Place the seedling in the middle of the pot, using pins or stakes to secure the base.
• Cover the base with a thin layer of moss to retain moisture.
• Place the pot in a cool place, only water lightly for the first week, after 1 week when the plant has new roots, then start watering as usual.

Proper care of Cinnamon

To take care of Cinnamon orchids properly to help them grow best, you need to pay attention to basic factors such as light, temperature, water, humidity,... Specifically as follows:

Light - temperature - humidity :

• This is an orchid that likes diffused light and cannot tolerate harsh sunlight.
• Prefers high humidity, from 70 - 85%
• Suitable temperature from 20 - 30 degrees Celsius

Watering properly :

• Dry season : Water 1 - 2 times/day
• Rainy season : Only water when the substrate is dry to avoid waterlogging the roots.
• Note : Water early in the morning, use a spray bottle to lightly mist the base and roots, do not water strongly because it can easily damage the roots.

Fertilizer :

• Development stage: NPK 30-10-10, diluted organic fertilizer, combined with B1 + Atonik to stimulate roots, spray alternately.
• Flowering preparation stage: NPK 10-30-10 to stimulate orchid buds
• Post-flowering stage: Add B1 and organic microbial fertilizer to help the plant recover after a flowering season.

Prevention and treatment :

• Root rot: Cut off damaged parts, apply lime, scar healing medicine, spray Physan to prevent fungus.
• Leaf spots, burns: Spray Ridomil Gol, Mancozeb
• Infested with bud and flower worms: Spray Sherpa, Biopest, catch worms by hand if worms appear.

Tips to help Cinnamon orchids bloom on time, beautifully and with long lasting color

To help cinnamon orchids bloom beautifully on time and keep flowers fresh for a long time, in addition to normal care, you need to refer to some of the following tips.

• During the flower bud differentiation stage (March - April), water should be cut lightly for about 1 week - 10 days.
• Increase light, hang orchids in a place with more light but avoid strong sunlight
• Switch to NPK 6-30-30 fertilizer every 2 weeks for 1 and a half months.
• When flower buds appear, stop fertilizing, do not water, and spray pesticides directly on the flower buds.
• Limit moving the plant during the budding stage because it can easily damage the flower buds.

Orchid price list

If you want to buy and grow Cinnamon, please refer to the detailed price list we share below to see which type is most suitable for you.

Questions and answers about Cinnamon

What month does cinnamon usually bloom?

Normally, Cinnamon will bloom in May - July of the solar calendar, but in some regions it will bloom earlier around April.

Is cinnamon easy to grow?

Yes, Cinnamon orchid is a type of wild orchid that is quite easy to grow, healthy, and has few pests and diseases. As long as you pay attention to some basic techniques that we shared above, you can completely conquer this orchid species easily.

Is cinnamon fragrant?

Yes, Cassia flowers have a very distinctive, sweet and long lasting fragrance, with a strong scent in the early morning.

Beautiful Cinnamon Pictures

We invite you to admire the images of the super beautiful and impressive Cinnamon orchids that we have collected below to feel the special attraction of this precious wild orchid with unique fragrance. We guarantee you will be "amazed"!

Cinnamon orchid pot with lots of flowers.

An impressive garden of blooming cinnamon orchids.

The drooping branches of cassia flowers are very beautiful.

A super beautiful white cinnamon branch in August.

With its strong fragrance and elegant, luxurious appearance, Cinnamon orchids are worthy of being a must-have orchid in your garden. Whether you are a new orchid grower or an experienced one, Cinnamon orchids are always the perfect and most wonderful choice in terms of both spiritual and aesthetic value.

Hopefully through the above article, orchid-vn.com has provided you with a lot of useful information about this precious wild orchid species. Don't forget to follow our Blog section to learn more about growing and caring for other orchid species.