Introduction to the Characteristics and Care Methods of the Lingzi Cymbidium Variety

Ling and Lingzi (Jinhui)

     The orchid's captivating delicate fragrance and elegant posture have attracted many people to be infatuated with it, and I am fortunate to be one of them. Orchids not only give beauty to the soul, but also bring no small return economically, and I have also been fortunate to receive the orchid's generous favor.

I have liked orchids for more than ten years, and whenever I search for fine varieties during orchid exhibitions, I always have some small gains; this seems to have become a habit. In the spring of 2004, because my love for orchids was close to obsession, I often traveled back and forth to orchid exhibitions in various places, exhibiting, seeking varieties, and making friends. Once, at a stall during the orchid exhibition in Huangyan, Taizhou, Zhejiang, I came across a wild-collected cymbidium orchid, red turning to green, two plants with one stem of large-pailing flower buds. Seeing that this flower had promise and that a fine variety was hard to come by, I very much wanted to collect it. But it had already been bought first by an orchid friend from Xinchang, Zhejiang. After negotiation, it was finally transferred to me, which delighted me greatly. This flower was the "Lingzi" that I later named!

     When I think of the origin of the name "Lingzi," there is also a bittersweet yet beautiful story. Here, I am willing to share it with everyone with a heart of gratitude.

     In the second half of 2006, the Chinese orchid market reached a crazy period. Everywhere one looked there were high-priced orchids, and orchid friends buying orchids were everywhere. I was also busy beyond measure, doing orchid business away from home with several orchid friends all along, with transactions of hundreds of thousands or even a million every day. In such crazy days, many people's minds were only on orchids, and I was no exception. Naturally, I did not take much care of my family. Just when my orchid business was beginning to show some improvement, misfortune struck at home: in early November 2006, my former wife ruthlessly abandoned a pair of young daughters (the elder was six years old, the younger had just turned one) and ran away from home. Later, it had to be hastily ended in divorce. She took away all the family's savings of several hundred thousand and left me a pair of young daughters. At that time, I was utterly despondent, accompanied by alcohol all day, and decadent and muddled throughout.

     Perhaps Heaven took pity on me. On December 25, 2006, through the kind help and introduction of a friend, I went to a blind date, fell in love with my current beloved at first sight, and rekindled the fire of hope in life. With her silent support and care, I slowly walked out of the shadows. After several months of dating, I became engaged to her on March 7, 2007. On that day, a very strange thing happened: this pot of cymbidium orchid unexpectedly bloomed quietly that very day, with one stem bearing 7 flowers, blooming so beautifully, such a coincidence! For me, this unexpected surprise could be considered a double blessing, and Heaven had treated me well! This pot of cymbidium orchid had elegant leaf posture, with flowers held above the leaves, short, round, soft petals clasping together, and a delicate small column placed within the petals, restrained and not exposed; the large round lip spread out without curling, and the red patches on the lip were bright and vivid; the three outer petals had contracted bases and broad tips. It was truly a standard fine lotus-form guanzhong narcissus. Seeing this flower so delicate and elegant, dignified and generous, just like my beloved in passionate love, my heart stirred, and I attached a large red flower to it, giving it to her as an engagement gift, and named the flower after her childhood nickname - "Lingzi" (my beloved's name is Zhou Lingling).

     The day after the engagement, I took my fiancee "Lingling" and brought "Lingzi" to Wuhan, intending to exhibit at the 17th China Orchid Expo. In the end, however, because the plane was delayed, the exhibition hall stopped accepting flowers, and we could only sigh while looking at the hall. But while stranded outside the hall, some knowledgeable orchid friends who were fortunate enough to see this flower praised Lingzi's floral quality without end, and several orchid friends wanted to buy it outright at a high price. My beloved and I both politely declined on the spot. Because this flower is full of the destiny between her and me, and is also the beginning of the spring of my second life, carrying our hope for love and our longing for a happy new life! Not long after we married, we had a lively and lovely son, which filled our life with even more laughter.

     After returning home from the Wuhan orchid exhibition, I immediately repotted and divided the plants. Because of the journey along the way, the time for dividing the plants was rather late, and the orchid plants were severely dehydrated, so several large plants were lost, which pained me greatly. Later, after several years of careful cultivation, they have now grown strong again. During this period there were also constant surprises, because white striped lines and crystal striped lines sometimes appeared on the leaves, giving me much to look forward to.

    In the blink of an eye, time came to April 2015, and "Lingzi" bloomed again, with two stems and 7 flowers per stem, still as splendid as before. I took "Lingzi" and successively participated in four large and small orchid exhibitions, traveling several thousand kilometers back and forth over more than 20 days, and won 4 gold awards in one go. What made me happiest was winning the gold award at the National Orchid Expo in Suizhou. In these several exhibitions, "Lingzi" once again withstood the test. Despite such a long journey of a thousand kilometers, its flowers remained consistent and unchanged until they faded. Thus it gained the unanimous recognition and praise of the broad community of orchid friends.

Lingzi has become another bright new star among new cymbidium orchid flowers, and even more so the warmest flower and affection in my heart. I respectfully dedicate this article to the secluded orchid in my heart - my beloved wife Lingling. Thank her for over so many years tirelessly and devotedly managing the household, supporting her husband and teaching the children, and for accepting and carefully caring for my former wife's pair of daughters with the broad heart of maternal love! Love needs no words, and I thank the secluded orchids in my heart, Lingling and Lingzi!