Question
I have a no-name Cymbidium that I purchased 50% off last year from a
nursery because it was not in bloom. I live in Colorado, kept it outside during
the summer. It has spiked and I have 7 blooms. They are now all open but not
completely. If they were totally open they would probably be about 4 inches
wide. The flowers are greenish and on the outside have pinkish streaks from
exposure I think to bright sun. The lip is a dark maroon. Do some
cymbidiums just naturally open part way? They have been this way for about
two weeks.  

Answer
Hello Gelerie,

Yes, there are some cymbidium flowers that do not fully open.  In fact there is a name for such flowers, cupped because the petals form a cup.  There are many variations of flower shapes on cymbidiums, some just barely open all the way to being too open where the petals appear to bend slightly backwards.  Without knowing the name, it is very difficult to say whether it should have opened more fully or being cupped is normal.  

What you might do is keep a wary eye out for another cymbidium with the same exact flower, see if there is a plastic tag stuck in the pot with a name on it.  Keep in mind, there may be other cyms with similar flowers with only slight variations in color, shape and flower size along with the same for the lip.  

Admiring orchid flowers is the easy part, learning the little differences and nuances between different flowers is where it gets complicated.  I gave up trying to figure it out long ago, just too hard on my little pea brain.  (grin)  

In Colorado, try keeping it outdoors as long as night temperatures remain above 40F and in full to part shade depending upon where in Colorado you live and the available sun exposure.  

Hope this helped.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.