Introduction to the Cymbidium lianpan 'Danheding' (Yaocao) Variety

Yaocao belongs to Cymbidium lianpan, and is called the "King of Cymbidium lianpan" because its petals and leaves are exceptionally outstanding among Cymbidium lianpan. It originates from the hinterland of Weishan on the northwest side of the Ailao Mountains. The original orchid owner called it "Yaocao." The orchid owner was a Chinese herbal medicine doctor. A horse-herding mountain villager accidentally injured his foot and came to seek medical treatment, owing a sum for medicine. Later, while traveling through the mountains and crossing a ravine, he happened upon a clump of orchids and gave it to the herbal medicine doctor. The doctor received the orchid and forgave the villager's debt for medicine, and this clump of orchids was casually called "Yaocao." In the spring of 1998, an orchid-growing expert from Dali discovered this orchid, 4 seedlings, and bought it at the high price of 5000 yuan per seedling. Afterward, its price soared and repeatedly set record highs. It blooms in early spring, with 2-3 flowers per scape. The flowers are hemp-red, with outer petals that taper at the base and flare at the corners, thick and with a pouch. Length 2.5 cm, width 1.8 cm . Mussel-shell-shaped petals (holding petals), short round lip extending flat. Ring-shaped fat leaves, 25--40 cm long. 1.8 cm wide. New shoots are thick and round, purple-red in color. Viewing this flower gives one a feeling of openness and cheerfulness, contentment and smoothness of mind, and full vitality, showing firmness within softness, with considerable inner strength.

Danheding, a rare orchid discovered in Weishan, Dali in recent years, is commonly known as Yaocao. However, opinions vary about the origin and story of Yaocao. With the consent of its discoverer, we have written a short biography of it to introduce it to orchid friends who care about it.

Yaocao is a broad-leaved Cymbidium lianpan, with lotus-shaped petals, a formal and elegant form, peach-blossom-colored flowers of incomparable beauty, and a delightful fragrance. Its leaves are broad and thick, slightly leathery, with rounded leaf tips and a ridged surface, easy to identify. It is a medium-short variety among Cymbidium lianpan and is extremely popular.

In the early 1980s, there was a courier household in the south of Weishan county town named Rao Sheng. He saw a mountain villager from the Wuyin Mountain area who brought a orchid plant, plump, thick and round, with a good leaf shape and quite attractive appearance, so he bought it for two yuan. After growing it for several years, it still had not bloomed. At that time, Rao Sheng's mother happened to be bedridden, needing medicine every day. Rao Sheng was short of money, so he traded this flower, valued at 50 yuan, to the old Chinese medicine doctor Yang in the county town for twenty-five doses of medicine to treat his mother's illness. After Rao Sheng's mother took the twenty-five doses of medicine, her illness was still not cured! Rao Sheng still came to the old Chinese medicine doctor Yang every few days, either to get medicine or threatening to return the goods. Old Chinese medicine doctor Yang was a "person of clear understanding" and did not want to bother with this, so he returned the flower to Rao Sheng at the original price. After Weishan town orchid-growing expert Zuo Youcheng learned of this, he bought and cultivated this flower for 80 yuan, and Rao Sheng also exchanged the extra 30 yuan for medicine to treat his mother's illness. This matter has been passed down in Weishan County all along, and orchid friends, because of this story, have always called this flower "Yaocao."