How to tell the difference between Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi? A guide to distinguishing the two orchids

Cymbidium goeringii, also known as caolan, shanlan and duoxiang, or simply lan, is the orchid among Chinese orchids with the widest distribution, the richest resources, a relatively long history of cultivation and the largest number of selected horticultural cultivars. Its plant is small, and its leaves are relatively narrow and slender, strap-shaped, generally about 20-35 cm long and about 0.5-1 cm wide, with clearly serrated leaf margins. It has spherical pseudobulbs, and its fleshy roots are relatively thin, about 0.4 cm in diameter. Its flowering period is in March-April, the flower stalk is upright, about 6-25 cm tall, and one that opens double flowers is called a bingdilan, meaning good fortune. Although the Cymbidium goeringii plant is small, its flowers are rather large, with the open flower generally 4-6 cm in diameter and a maximum diameter of up to 8 cm. The flower color is usually mainly green and yellow-green, with purplish-red stripes or spots on the petals, and there are also those with purplish-red showing through the green. Most Cymbidium goeringii are fragrant, which people call a delicate fragrance. There are many varieties. Cymbidium goeringii has different characteristics depending on the place of origin, and can be divided into major groups such as Jiangsu-Zhejiang Cymbidium goeringii, Henan Cymbidium goeringii, Hubei Cymbidium goeringii, Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan inland Cymbidium goeringii and southern Cymbidium goeringii.

Cymbidium faberi is also known as jiuhualan, jiujielan and jiuzilan. The ancients called one stem with nine flowers hui, and also called it huihua rather than huilan. Cymbidium faberi has inconspicuous pseudobulbs, and its roots are thick and long, with branching. The Cymbidium faberi plant is generally taller, and its leaves are longer, wider and larger than those of Cymbidium goeringii, with a rough leaf surface; the leaves are about 35-80 cm long and 0.5-1.5 cm wide, the leaf veins are thick, numerous and obvious, and the leaf margin serrations are obvious and relatively coarse. Its flowering period is between April and May. The flower stalk is thick and long, upright, with the thick ones 1 cm in stalk diameter and the thin ones like incense sticks, standing tall, level with or above the leaves, generally about 35-80 cm tall. It bears many flowers. The open flower is about 3.5-8 cm in diameter. The flower color is similar to that of Cymbidium goeringii, but there are more colors in the bud sheaths; the lip is well developed, with green velvety moss on the lip adorned with many purplish-red dots and patches, mostly purplish-red, and at the base of each flower's small stalk there is a nectary, sweet and mellow in taste, and when the flower opens the fragrance is delicate. Cymbidium faberi is relatively widely distributed, and it is also found north of the Qinling Mountains. It is relatively cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant and sun-loving. The Cymbidium faberi produced in different places differ slightly in leaf shape and flower quality, and are divided by place of origin into Jiangsu-Zhejiang Cymbidium faberi, western Anhui and Hubei Cymbidium faberi, Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan inland Cymbidium faberi and southern Cymbidium faberi, among others. The original habitat of Cymbidium faberi is at relatively high altitude, so introduction and cultivation are relatively difficult. Its variability is relatively great.