Characteristics and Appreciation of the Cymbidium faberi 'Guohe' Variety

The Cymbidium faberi 'Guohe' originates from the mountain forests at the border between Enshi City and Lichuan County in Hubei Province. It was discovered and collected in May 2006, initially acquired by an orchid enthusiast surnamed Zhang from Enshi City, who immediately informed orchid cultivator Wang Yinxian from Yixing City, Jiangsu Province. Upon receiving the news, Mr. Wang rushed to Enshi City to meet with Mr. Zhang, and saw that this variety had only 2 plants connected to an old pseudobulb and bearing dragon roots. It bore one stalk of flowers, but because the season was already late, the flowers had mostly wilted; fortunately the terminal flower remained, though it too was past its prime. Upon careful appreciation, this flower was indeed a fine variety, with excellent bone strength and outstanding flower retention, though unfortunately the root system was somewhat poor. Mr. Wang finally decided to purchase this variety for a high price. After returning home, he tended it carefully, yet that year one old plant was lost; not only did it fail to produce new shoots, but after autumn it unexpectedly produced a small flower bud. In mid-spring of 2007, the small bud bloomed into one stalk bearing 5 flowers, with a pure emerald-green color, a delicate and elegant fragrance, and a dignified and noble appearance. At that time, it was entered in the cymbidium flower exhibition held at Huasheng Orchid Garden in Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, where it received unanimous praise from the many orchid enthusiasts during the display. Amid the chorus of admiration, it was named 'Guohe'. Guohe Su has elegantly curved leaf posture, with leaves about 30 cm long, a length that is just right, and leaf width of about 0.6 cm, a breadth that is neither too wide nor too narrow. The leaf texture is thick and glutinous yet perfectly so, with fine and moist grain, and delicate leaf veins containing a crystalline translucence, with an inner bundle of white. The leaf color is a vivid jade-green dripping with emerald, and the leaf tips are adorned with white jade peaks. The leaf sheaths are tightly upright, like feet treading upon green mountain ripples, the body draped in a garment of emerald jade, the waist bound with plain brocade, the cloud-like coiffure graceful, the head crowned with a white jade phoenix coronet, closely resembling the Goddess of the Luo River descended to earth; from the leaves alone one can see her extraordinary bearing. The flower bud is dignified, with the bracts tightly wrapped, the white jade shell form like mutton-fat white jade, warm and soft and glutinous, commonly known as a glass shell. The upper three bracts have no veins or mottling, with emerald green at the base, and the bracts are white as snow. The white-green stem is slender, round, and vigorous, rising above the leaf frame; the flower stalks are long and held high, bearing 8 to 9 flowers, in a small triple-joined-head form. The three outer petals are in narcissus form with slightly upturned corners; the main petal is upright, with level shoulders and tightly rolled edges; the three petals are even and equal, opening in an embracing posture, thick and glutinous in substance, with fine and delicate grain. The three outer whorl petals, reflecting the sun, each bear three silver lines in a radial pattern, appearing especially jade-bright, clear, and incomparably beautiful. In the central palace, some mistakenly regard it as a clam-shell hold with a large round tongue, closely resembling a lotus. In fact, it is an emerald jade shallow pocket hold, occasionally showing a trace of crystalline silver line on the hold (this being a characteristic of male flowers). The holds are separated into compartments, embracing so perfectly that no seam is visible; the column is concealed within the holds, and its form can only be seen when looking upward. The pollen masses at the tip of the column are golden yellow, closely resembling a single golden pearl deeply hidden and unexposed, commonly known as a thread-incense nose. The fully green moss-like large round spreading tongue has a properly formed mouth and tongue. The proportions of inner and outer are moderate; the outer whorl resembles a narcissus, the inner whorl resembles a lotus; being neither narcissus nor lotus, it is in fact a lotus-form narcissus plain flower. The flower appearance is majestic and noble, refined and dignified, possessing great masterly elegance. The flower color is emerald green and lovely, like ice-type jadeite, and also like the feathers of a kingfisher, incomparably emerald and beautiful. The flower retention is excellent, with especially good bone and sinew; after blooming for more than half a month it still stands gracefully and charmingly. Moreover, its fragrance is pure and clean, elegant and refined, and profoundly penetrating.