An introduction to the characteristics of the Cymbidium goeringii cultivar Jiangnanchun

Through an introduction by a local orchid enthusiast, I got to know a man named Yang Xinbao. This person was very good, and I was never cheated. The first time I went to his home, I saw that he had dug up some orchids. There were not many pots, only 7-8 pots, placed inside the room. I went into the room and carefully looked at the wild-collected orchids he had dug up. Among them, the flower buds on one pot of 4-5 seedlings caught my attention. I asked him what it was, and he said it was probably a plum-petal type. Looking again, I thought it should be a narcissus type. Then I asked him whether the bud could be opened to take a look. After a while he agreed. I carefully opened the bud and was stunned: the center was too beautiful, like a narcissus with butterfly markings. On the petals, 3/2 of the white edge surrounded a large red spot inlaid on both sides, very symmetrical. At that moment I thought I definitely had to buy this flower, but I did not know how much he wanted for it. Fortunately, the price he asked was not very high. Then I asked him whether he still had this flower. He said he did not have it here anymore, but the people who went up the mountain with him in town still had two seedlings. I asked him again how he had gotten this plant. He replied that they had gone up the mountain together to dig orchids, so he had divided two seedlings to him. Oh, so that was it. I did not take those two seedlings seriously. When leaving, I told him to search again near where this plant had been dug, as there might be good flowers there too. After sitting for a while, I drove all the way back from Jingxian to Ma'anshan, singing loudly.

A few months later, I went again to Orchid Friend Yang's place in Jingxian. I saw that he had dug up another narcissus-type orchid, discussed the price with him, and bought some as well, but the flower grade was not high. Next I asked him whether we could go to the market town to see the two seedlings you gave to someone else. He agreed readily. Before long we arrived at the home of the owner of the other two Jiangnanchun plants, whose name was Zha Jingou. I called him Teacher Zha. Yang Xinbao explained to him the purpose of my visit. Teacher Zha pointed with his hand and said it was this pot. I could only see two plant stumps, not the leaves of the two plants. I really felt bad inside; it was such a pity that this plant had been kept to death. I quickly asked him, did you fertilize it? He answered firmly, yes. Only then did I know it was fertilizer burn. The three of us talked for a while, and then I bought those two seedlings. Not many days later, these two plants passed away, dead... The remaining few seedlings, under my careful care, finally bloomed. That was February 2007, when Ma'anshan happened to hold the Third Orchid Exhibition. I entered the orchid exhibition, and Jiangnanchun won the gold award. This flower is too beautiful: broad petals with 3/2 surrounded by white edges, the slightly waving two petals just revealing large red spots inlaid on both sides, very symmetrical. The outer three petals have a contracted base and are pure green, also inlaid with a heavy halo, between a one-character shoulder and a level shoulder. The flower is large, the petals are thick, with a slight tight edge, unchanged after being open a long time. The flower stem is tall, and its fragrance is subtle yet rich. It is truly hard to find any fault with it. It is a true premium narcissus type. Its leaf buds also have faint self-reversion rims, and the leaf tips have white heads, like a tiny pearl, until they become half-grown plants. These are the characteristics of Jiangnanchun.