A concise explanation of the detailed appreciation criteria for Cymbidium kanran, to quickly master the key points of evaluation

  In our country, Cymbidium kanran is fairly widely distributed, with the vast majority found in provinces such as Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, and Hunan. In the above regions, winter Cymbidium kanran is the main type, and there are also a very small number of naturally hybridized spring Cymbidium kanran and autumn Cymbidium kanran, but their proportion is extremely tiny. In a few places in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Hubei, summer-blooming summer Cymbidium kanran is distributed, and its proportion of the total Cymbidium kanran is also not large. What we usually call Cymbidium kanran mainly refers to winter Cymbidium kanran that blooms in winter (the flowering period is mainly from October to December each year).

 

  About the plant type and leaf type of Cymbidium kanran

  Cymbidium kanran is divided into large-leaf Cymbidium kanran and narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran. In Cymbidium kanran producing areas, some places are mainly large-leaf Cymbidium kanran, while others are mainly narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran, only the proportions differ; in some large-leaf producing areas, the proportion of narrow-leaf is extremely small, and in some narrow-leaf producing areas, the proportion of large-leaf is extremely small. Large-leaf and narrow-leaf exist in almost all places, but in the same mountain forest, the phenomenon of large-leaf and narrow-leaf growing mixed together is not common. The leaf width of large-leaf Cymbidium kanran is generally about 1.0-3.0 cm, and the leaf height is generally 40-80 cm; the leaf width of narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran is generally 0.5-2.0 cm, and the leaf height is generally 30-70 cm. The leaf types of Cymbidium kanran are diverse, either upright, semi-upright, or arching, and even among upright, semi-upright, and arching, the degrees of curvature differ. The leaf texture is sometimes thick and hard, sometimes soft, and sometimes firm with softness within, very graceful. The leaf color is also diverse, some deep green, some light green, and some with net-like veins, alternating deep and light; the leaf color of Cymbidium kanran is lighter when the new shoot is young, and as the new shoot matures, the leaf color gradually deepens, with relatively good glossiness. The plant type of Cymbidium kanran is compact, either tall and majestic, or delicate and elegant. As for large-leaf Cymbidium kanran, the leaf width is between 1.0-1.5 cm, and the leaf height is 40-60 cm; for narrow-leaf, the leaf width is 0.8-1.3 cm, and the height is between 30-50 cm. Those with good glossiness, compact plant type, and leaves extending outward and arching elegantly in the upper part are more beautiful. There are many types of leaf forms and plant types in Cymbidium kanran, and according to personal preference, there are many choices available. Among wild-collected Cymbidium kanran, under the same leaf width, the leaves of narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran are slightly taller than those of large-leaf Cymbidium kanran, but after several years of artificial domestication, the leaves of wild-collected Cymbidium kanran all become relatively shorter and more symmetrical, and are no longer as messy as when first collected from the mountains.

 

  About the flower scape of Cymbidium kanran:

  The flower scape of Cymbidium kanran is relatively thin compared with other orchid species, which is what we usually call a lamp-wick scape. Although Cymbidium kanran is an orchid species with multiple flowers on one scape and flower scapes that rise above the leaves, the thin flower scape can still bear a relatively large number of flowers held high above. This is the characteristic of the Cymbidium kanran flower scape: extremely tough and strong. The flower scapes of Cymbidium kanran are generally mostly purple scapes and multicolored scapes, and red scapes and green scapes also exist. Apart from pure-color forms, pure green flower scapes in Cymbidium kanran are extremely rare, and even among green-scaped flowers, mixed-color green scapes are more common. The colors of the flower scape, flower stalk, and flower of Cymbidium kanran are usually not consistent; for example, some Cymbidium kanran, even if they have green scapes and green flowers, still have purple flower stalks. Yellow flower scapes and white flower scapes are even rarer. For individual Cymbidium kanran varieties with delicate plant types and few flowers, pure red, pure purple, or pure green lamp-wick scapes are more beautiful. For varieties with tall plant types and many flowers, the flower scape should also be thicker, so that it is enough to support the numerous flowers and match the plant type (not all lamp-wick scapes are beautiful; the flower scape should also match the plant type to be good). The height of the flower scape is best when it rises above the leaves.

 

  About the flowers of Cymbidium kanran:

  Cymbidium kanran is an orchid species with multiple flowers on one scape. The flower size is generally from five or six cm to about ten cm, and extra-large flowers can reach a diameter of more than fifteen or sixteen cm. The flowers of narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran are relatively smaller. The petals of Cymbidium kanran are almost all willow-leaf petals, chicken-claw petals, and the like. It is precisely this kind of petal that creates the uniquely ingenious, lively, and elegant flower forms of Cymbidium kanran, with countless variations. Large-leaf Cymbidium kanran has a relatively larger number of flowers, commonly from five or six to more than ten, while narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran has fewer flowers, from three or five to seven or eight. As for the number of flowers, 5-7 flowers for large-leaf Cymbidium kanran and 3-5 for narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran are relatively appropriate. But the number of flowers also reflects the characteristics of a single species; those with many will not have few, and those with few will not have many, and it cannot be forced. The arrangement of flowers is best in a spiral shape, so that no matter from which direction the flowers are appreciated, one or several flowers will be directly facing the viewer. The degree of spacing between flowers should be such that the petals do not touch each other and there is a certain distance; if there are two flowers arranged one above the other in the same direction, the interval is best about one flower's distance. A flower sequence that is well spaced and orderly, with a pleasing irregular arrangement, is also a kind of beauty.

 

  About the flower color of Cymbidium kanran:

  The flower colors of Cymbidium kanran are extremely rich, including water-red flowers, bright red flowers, purple-red flowers, yellow flowers, white flowers, dark green flowers, light green flowers, and so on, as well as multicolored compound-color flowers and compound-color flower forms, among which purple (red) flowers, compound-color flowers, and green flowers are more common. The petals of narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran generally have relatively obvious white margins, especially the petals of the inner perianth. Regardless of the flower color, pure and soft ones are superior; but for yellow flowers, golden yellow is good, light yellow is second, and greenish yellow is inferior; short-veined flowers with another color mixed into the petals (such as green flowers with purple veins), or dull mixed-color flowers, if there are no other ornamental merits, are not worth choosing based on color alone; for compound-color flowers, what matters is the contrast of colors and whether the boundaries of multiple colors are distinct. Those with good contrast and clear boundaries are superior (among Cymbidium kanran, there are two kinds of compound-color flowers: one is compound-color flowers with clearly defined boundaries between two colors, such as striped flowers, marginal flowers, margined flowers, and clawed flowers; the other is compound-color flowers in which two or more colors are mixed, with these colors inlaid into one another, brilliantly colorful, so they are also called five-color Cymbidium kanran). Among Cymbidium kanran there is also a color-changing flower type, found in both large-leaf and narrow-leaf, and more common in narrow-leaf. Generally, the most common are green changing to red or purple. For color-changing flowers, one should also see whether the color after changing is vivid; some change to fully solid color (all red or all purple), some change to compound-color flowers, and so on. There are also many pure-color flowers in Cymbidium kanran. In large-leaf types, green-moss pure-color forms are the main type, while in narrow-leaf types, green flowers with white base and pure-color lip are the main type, and red pure-color, white pure-color, and yellow pure-color are relatively rare. Among Cymbidium kanran, the color flowers of large-leaf Cymbidium kanran are more abundant.

 

  About the lip of Cymbidium kanran:

  In Cymbidium kanran, the lip has two major points of appreciation: one is the shape of the lip, and the other is the color markings on the lip. The lips of Cymbidium kanran include large round lip, small round lip, large round pouch lip, small pouch lip, lightbulb lip, square-notched lip, long lip, sparrow-tongue lip, pointed lip, and so on. Regardless of the type of lip, those that remain uncurled or only slightly curled after long opening are superior. Such lips not only show orchid enthusiasts the beauty of the lip shape, but more valuably, the spots, markings, bars, and blocks on the lip can also be seen clearly at a glance. The Cymbidium kanran lips sought after by orchid enthusiasts include large round lip, small round lip, large round pouch lip, small pouch lip, and so on. In fact, among Cymbidium kanran, the proportion of those with uncurled or slightly curled lips and beautiful flower quality is extremely small, especially among narrow-leaf types (the lips of narrow-leaf types are relatively thinner); in my opinion: for a Cymbidium kanran flower with beautiful flower color, neat form, good lip shape, and good color markings on the lip, even if the lip curls after the flower opens, it still has its merits; a brief flowering is also a kind of beauty. For an orchid lip to remain uncurled or slightly curled, it will more or less have the following characteristics: first, the lip is sufficiently thick and substantial, and the lip itself has a certain strength to support it; second, the lip should be short and small, and short, small lips are not easy to roll back, as with the lips of plum and immortal types; third, the lip has a deep pouch or wavy wrinkles along the edge of the lip. However, those with these characteristics will not absolutely never curl. The color markings on the lips of Cymbidium kanran are also diverse, including all-red patches (red lip), red round spots, triangular arrangement red spots, square spots, facial-mask spots, and also black and purple-black patches, as well as dot-like and line-like color markings. But regardless of which kind of spots, markings, bars, or blocks they are, the color of the spots, markings, bars, and blocks is required to contrast sharply with the background color of the lip (for narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran, since the background color of the lip is almost always white, the contrast is better); the layout of the color markings, bars, and blocks on the lip should be neat or symmetrical; and the spots, markings, bars, and blocks on all the flowers of the entire scape should also look basically consistent. There is also another category of lip that occupies a relatively important position in Cymbidium kanran, namely the pure-color lip (fully pure-color lip, peach-cheek pure-color, bright-mouth pure-color, etc.). If such flowers have elegant and bright flower color, neat appearance, and good lip shape, they have relatively high ornamental value. In large-leaf Cymbidium kanran, the background color of such lips is generally mostly green, yellow, or yellow-white; in narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran, it is generally a white background with green line markings.

 

  About the petal forms of Cymbidium kanran:

  "Cymbidium kanran has no petal forms" is the consensus of all orchid enthusiasts, because from the time each of us first came into contact with orchids or began to learn about orchids, the first thing instilled into our minds was the traditional theory of petal forms. But since the theory of petal forms was created by us humans, we can also establish a basic concept of petal-form theory for Cymbidium kanran. Since Cymbidium kanran is an orchid species, and both nature and humans have accepted it, then it should also accept people's aesthetics. As long as most people consider a certain petal form good, and this petal form can fully express the beauty of Cymbidium kanran, then this petal form is a petal-form flower in Cymbidium kanran. We should not use the traditional theory of petal forms to prescribe what the petal forms of Cymbidium kanran should be and should not be. Cymbidium kanran has no petal forms; no move is better than a move; no form is form. This is precisely the unique expression of Cymbidium kanran petal forms. Being able to break through traditional concepts and accept Cymbidium kanran is also a requirement of modern aesthetics and a great progress in the orchid world. As times have developed, aesthetics must also develop. While inheriting traditional aesthetic views, we must also continuously discover new orchid species and create new aesthetic theories. Pursuing beautiful things is originally an eternal and unchanging goal of humanity. This is so in life, and so too with orchids in life.

  Up to now, many good flowers such as soft-petal and hard-petal plum and immortal types have appeared among large-leaf Cymbidium kanran. Such flowers have filled the gap in petal-form flowers of Cymbidium kanran, but not all hard petals and soft petals are good flowers or have aesthetic beauty. Twisted, misshapen forms and clawing, flailing hard petals and soft petals are merely another kind of strange flower, and most do not express any beauty at all.

  Among narrow-leaf Cymbidium kanran, relatively many standard lotus-type forms have appeared, and such flowers also vary from good to poor. Those with good flower color, upright appearance, and reliable flower-holding can be selected; others that change too much are not worth taking.

  Whether lotus or plum and immortal types, first of all the flower quality should be dignified; even if it cannot achieve flat shoulders, it should still be left-right symmetrical; the proportion of the outer petals and the center should be coordinated and unified, and the lip should also match; the flower color should also be acceptable, either elegant or brilliant, while miscellaneous colors and dull mixed colors are inferior; flower-holding should be excellent. Since it is a petal-form flower, flower-holding is most important. If after a few days the petals roll and fly about, it becomes ugly.

  Among Cymbidium kanran, there is also a category of drifting-door forms, found among both plum and immortal types. Whether hard-petal or soft-petal drifting-door, even if it drifts, it should drift in a regular way, with every flower consistent, so as to show the overall beauty of the entire flower. That kind of messy, irregular drifting flower, with several flowers each drifting in its own way, has no image to speak of.

 

  About the strange flowers of Cymbidium kanran

  Multi-petal and multi-lip strange flowers in Cymbidium kanran are not often seen. Ordinary multi-petal strange flowers usually just have one or two extra petals, and the sense of layering is not strong. Several multi-lip strange flowers have also appeared: double-lip and triple-lip ones have all appeared. Tree-shaped strange flowers have also appeared, but the petals are too few and sparse, appearing monotonous and thin. But nature's craftsmanship is wondrous, and anything is possible. One phenomenon is that in many orchid species, unstable one-flower oddities or several-flower oddities often appear. Such flowers are extremely unstable, and the same is true in Cymbidium kanran.

 

  About the butterfly flowers of Cymbidium kanran

  Common butterfly flowers are generally three-star butterflies, stamen butterflies, and side-petal butterflies. The quality of butterfly flowers mainly depends on the degree of butterfly transformation and the contrast between the butterfly-transformed part and the petal color, as well as the flower form. Those with a high degree of butterfly transformation, strong contrast, and good flower form are of course of a higher grade.

 

  Appreciating Cymbidium kanran is not only appreciating its plant type and leaf type, nor only appreciating its flower form and flower color. When a pot of Cymbidium kanran blooms and is brought before you, it is not an easy task to read it from head to toe. First, observe the plant type and leaf type of this pot of Cymbidium kanran; then carefully look at the color, thickness, and height of the flower scape; the arrangement order and spacing of the flowers; next, examine the color of the petals and the flower form; and also the lip of the flower and the color markings on the lip. Finally, move closer and smell the fragrance of the flower (the fragrance of Cymbidium kanran is greatly affected by temperature, and not all flowering Cymbidium kanran can release fragrance under the conditions at the time). All of these together constitute the unique charm of Cymbidium kanran: a united and compact plant type; swaying verdant leaf posture; elegant and lively leaves dancing with the wind; flowers held high, steady and orderly in their spacing, either with the awe-inspiring righteousness of a mighty, unmoving presence, or with the free and easy composure of flowing clouds and water; and also the proud bones that bloom through frost and the waves of cold fragrance that grow stronger the colder it gets.

  Natural grass, free flowers, unrestrained charm, the one that haunts my dreams......

Yifeng Orchid Garden (Tianxia Wushuang)  2011  3  23