Cymbidium canaliculatum

Cymbidium canaliculatum is known as tiger orchid. It is an evergreen in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It is native to northern and eastern Australia. Records come from Western Australia and the Northern Territory. They also include Queensland and New South Wales. It grows in tropical and subtropical zones with dry spells each season. This perennial lives for years and keeps its leaves year-round.

The plant grows about 1.6 feet [0.5 metres] tall. It is an epiphyte: it grows on trees. Its wild sites include Eucalyptus forests. It also grows in dry woodland and forest with hard-leaved trees. There, it grows on wood that rots inside tree hollows. Its roots can grow deep down the hollow trunk. Some reach down several metres, well past the plant's stated height. These long roots contrast with its small size above ground.

The plant forms pseudobulbs, or swollen parts of the stem. These stems store starch and serve as wild food. People sometimes gather them from wild plants in their area. The source account shows plants with flowers and fruit. One image shows flowers beside seed pods from a past year. Another shows a form with red flowers. The source gives no bloom season or exact flower sizes. Nor does it describe leaf shape for this species.

People eat the pseudobulbs raw or cooked. They feel slimy and taste bland. People pound or grate the stem to get its starch. They wash the crushed parts, then let the starch settle. The source says this starch is easy to digest. It also notes that people eat the brown fruit raw. These food uses apply to certain parts, not the whole orchid. The account lists no known hazards. It lists no uses as medicine, either.

The sticky sap has a separate use in Australia. Aboriginal people mixed it with ochre to make paint. This was a traditional use. For gardeners, the source says more about wild sites than plant care. It gives no tested plan for when to water. It states no light needs or hardiness range. It also gives no account of pests or diseases. The source does record its growth in tree hollows. But it gives no detailed guide to garden care.