Dendrobium is one of the four great ornamental exotic flowers, so what types are there?

Dendrobium is an orchid family plant, its flower has a uniquely structured “hu”-shaped flower form, the flower colors are vivid, and the scent is fragrant, and it is hailed as one of the “four great ornamental exotic flowers”; besides being ornamental, it can also be used medicinally. So, what Dendrobium types are there?

1. A brief introduction to Dendrobium!

1. What are the alternative names of Dendrobium?

The alternative names of Dendrobium include Xianhu Lanyun, Busi Cao, Huanhun Cao, Ziying Xianzhu, Diaolan, Linlan, Jinsheng, Jinchai Hua, and others. The stem is erect, fleshy and thickened, slightly flattened cylindrical, 10-60 cm long, up to 1.3 cm thick; the raceme has 1-4 flowers, the flowers are white with a pale purple tip, sometimes the whole flower is pale purplish red, or except for 1 purplish red patch on the lip disc, the rest is white.

2. What effects and functions does Dendrobium have?

Dendrobium can be used as medicine, and the medicinal part is the fresh or dried stem. It has the effects of benefiting the stomach and promoting fluid production, and nourishing yin and clearing heat. It is often used for damage to body fluids from febrile disease, dry mouth and vexing thirst, insufficient stomach yin, little food intake and dry vomiting, lingering deficient heat after illness, yin deficiency with fire hyperactivity, steaming bone and consumptive heat, blurred vision, and flaccidity and weakness of the sinews and bones.

2. What Dendrobium types are there?

There are many types of Dendrobium. Here I will introduce several kinds of Dendrobium with medicinal value or horticultural value, such as Huoshan Dendrobium, Tiepi Dendrobium, Jinchai Dendrobium, Zhipi Dendrobium, Guchui Dendrobium, Meihua Dendrobium, Xiye Dendrobium, and Chongchun Dendrobium.

1. Huoshan Dendrobium

Huoshan Dendrobium is also called Mi Hu, Longtou Fengwei Cao, and Huangdi Cao. It is endemic to China, is a national first-class protected plant, is the finest among Dendrobium, and has very good medicinal value; it is mainly produced in Huoshan County, Anhui Province, in the Dabie Mountains region, and mostly grows in the crevices of cliff rocks wrapped in mist and clouds and on towering ancient trees, growing on tree trunks in mountain forests and on valley rocks. Historically it has always been reserved for the imperial family, mainly for refining immortality pills, and is praised as the “first of China's nine great immortal herbs”, “life-saving immortal herb”, “the greatest of China's immortal herbs”, “soft gold of health”, and so on.

2. Tiepi Dendrobium

Tiepi Dendrobium is also called Heijie Cao, Yunnan Tiepi, and Tiepi Dou. It has very good medicinal value and is distributed in southwestern Anhui, eastern Zhejiang, western Fujian, northwestern Guangxi, Sichuan, and southeastern Yunnan, China, growing on semi-shaded and moist rocks in mountainous areas at altitudes up to 1600 m.

3. Jinchai Dendrobium

Jinchai Dendrobium is also called Wanzhang Xu, Jinchai Shi, Bian Jinchai, Bian Huangcao, Bian Cao, and Diaolan Hua. It resembles the hairpins worn on the head in ancient times and is a traditional precious Chinese medicine in our country, listed as a superior grade in the “Shennong Bencao Jing”; it is mainly distributed in the area of Chishui and Xishui in Guizhou and Luzhou in Sichuan, among which Jinchai Dendrobium from Chishui, Guizhou is especially good.

4. Zhipi Dendrobium

Zhipi Dendrobium is also called Chiban Dendrobium, Zhipi Lan, and Wanzhang Xu. It is a plant used both as medicine and food; it can be eaten fresh, or processed by hand-rolling into Zhipi Fengdou, and can also be further processed into beverages, tablets, capsules, granules, and so on; it is mainly distributed in northwestern Guangxi, southwestern Guizhou, southeastern to western Yunnan, and southeastern Xizang, and mostly grows attached to tree trunks in deep mountain old forests with ample scattered light.

5. Guchui Dendrobium

Guchui Dendrobium has relatively high horticultural value. It is produced in southern to western Yunnan, China, growing at altitudes of 520-1620 m on tree trunks in sunny evergreen broad-leaved forests or on rocks under sparse forests.

6. Meihua Dendrobium

Meihua Dendrobium has relatively high horticultural value. It is produced in Guangxi, southern Guangdong, Hainan, southwestern Guizhou, and southern Yunnan, China, growing at altitudes of 400-1500 m on tree trunks in mountain forests or on rocks under forests.

7. Xiye Dendrobium

Xiye Dendrobium has relatively high horticultural value. It is produced in China south of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi, southern Gansu, Henan, southeastern Hubei, southeastern Hunan, northwestern Guangxi, southern to northeastern Sichuan, southern to southwestern Guizhou, and southeastern Yunnan, growing at altitudes of 700-1500 m on tree trunks in mountain forests or on valley rocks.

8. Chongchun Dendrobium

Chongchun Dendrobium has relatively high horticultural value. It is produced in Anhui, southern Jiangxi, Hunan, southwestern Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, southwestern Guizhou, and southeastern Yunnan, China, growing at altitudes of 590-1260 m on tree trunks in dense mountain forests and on moist rocks in valleys.

The above is an introduction to the types of Dendrobium, one of the four great ornamental exotic flowers. It mainly introduces eight kinds: Huoshan Dendrobium, Tiepi Dendrobium, Jinchai Dendrobium, Zhipi Dendrobium, Guchui Dendrobium, Meihua Dendrobium, Xiye Dendrobium, and Chongchun Dendrobium. I hope it is useful to everyone.