Introduction to the Characteristics of the Erhongs u (Two-Red-Spot) Variety of Cymbidium tortisepalum (Lianban Lan)

Erhongs u is a famous variety in the red-lip series of Cymbidium tortisepalum (Lianban Lan). This variety is a fine-leaved Cymbidium tortisepalum, with 5-9 leaves, relatively deep leaf grooves, leaf width of about 0.4-0.7CM, leaf length of about 35-50CM, drooping leaves, and light green leaf buds. It blooms from January to February each year, with 2-3 flowers per scape. The lip is red with a golden velvet texture, and the blotches cover the entire lip and cheeks, except for a trace of white line at the base of the center of the lip, so some orchid growers also call this variety "Yixiantian" (A Thread of Sky). This variety has a delicate and elegant fragrance, brightly colored flowers, and a graceful plant. 

     "Narrow Petal Red Lip. Narrow Petal Red Lip belongs to the Cymbidium tortisepalum (Lianban Lan) varieties. 'Narrow Petal Red Lip' is a descriptive name. Different strains of Cymbidium tortisepalum differ in petal width; those with petal width below 1CM are narrow-petaled. The main petal and side petals have a red blush, and the main vein shows faint light red lines. The inner side of the petals is red, the column is red, and the lip is red. The base of the lip is almost entirely red, with only a trace of faint white showing. The degree of red on the lip is close to that of a red plain-heart variety, and orchid growers call it Erhongs u, meaning the second red plain-heart of Cymbidium tortisepalum. It was discovered only a short time ago, just two or three years."

    Erhongs u is robust and easy to grow, with a high seedling production rate. Mr. Fei Taiyuan, an orchid grower from Yuxi, purchased two and a half seedlings of this variety in 2003, and now has nearly a hundred seedlings, with nearly five hundred seedlings still in his orchid greenhouse. Of course, he is an expert orchid grower, and such a high seedling production rate is not universal, but the high seedling production rate of this variety can be seen from this.

    Cymbidium tortisepalum (Lianban Lan), like most Chinese orchids, has a rich and colorful variety of cultivars, and multiple cultivars can also form series. In addition to the petal-type flowers, colored flowers, strange butterfly flowers, leaf art, and plain flowers series that most Chinese orchids have, Cymbidium tortisepalum also has a variety series that other Chinese orchids do not have, namely the red-lip series. This is not to say that other Chinese orchids have no red-lipped varieties, but it can be said with certainty that no other Chinese orchid has as many red-lip series varieties as Cymbidium tortisepalum.