Characteristics and Care Methods of the Datang Gongfen Jianlan (Fujian Cymbidium) Variety

Datang Gongfen: In early autumn 2001 it was collected from the Rong County forest area. Looking at the whole flower, the petals are shell-shaped, the shoulders are level, thick and jade-smooth, each blossom alike, the entire flower is fully plain-colored, the flower color is pure as ice and jade, the petal type belongs to the plum-lotus type, the largest flower diameter is 4 cm, the flower stalk rises above the leaves, each scape bears about 5 flowers, dignified and sacred, with a distant delicate fragrance, standing out among the plain-colored flowers of the four-season orchid. It releases fragrance during the Mid-Autumn period, when the most beautiful things under heaven are the full moon and the lovely flowers, a beauty beyond description! Lotus-shaped plain flower, the three outer petals are thick-fleshed, emerald green, the column and lip pure white, the overall flower shape plump and rounded, forming a proper proportion, with a well-balanced contrast in inflorescence arrangement, and upright.

    Discovery: The discoverer of Datang Gongfen was a orchid farmer named Xiao San in the forest area of Ziliang Town, Rong County, who spent years hidden in the misty deep mountains and old forests searching for orchids and stump bonsai, with rich harvests. One day in early autumn 2001, Xiao San took dry rations and went early into the old thorny forest around Fuzuo in Langshui Township of the county, where he discovered a rare clump of plain-colored flowers - a fully plain lotus-plum, with three seedlings and three old pseudobulbs, and 1 scape with 3 flowers (there are original photos archived from when it was first collected). At that time there was a person in the county extremely devoted to orchids - Liang Zhi (Tianlong Orchid Garden) - who had always been on very close terms with Xiao San, and that same day Xiao San telephoned Liang Zhi to come see the flower. Liang Zhi hurriedly drove to the countryside, and as soon as he arrived at the farmhouse door he smelled a wisp of delicate fragrance drifting over, the special fresh scent of plain-heart flowers. Following the fragrance, he saw Xiao San gently holding a clump of orchids in his hand, with a cluster of flower scapes standing gracefully among the sparse leaves gnawed by insects, the blossoms pinkish-white and flawless, carrying not a trace of worldly color. Beauty is a kind of shock; Liang Zhi fell in love with the flower at first sight and could not put it down, immediately buying all of it and planting it in the orchid garden on his rooftop, and not long after planting it sent up flower scapes again. This flower was named "Datang Gongfen" by Professor Liu Qingyong of the orchid world, and was published on the cover of the 2007 issue 4 of "Chinese Orchids".

    Exhibition: On October 1, 2002, Rong County, Guangxi held the first Qiaoxiang Orchid Exhibition, and Liang Zhi brought this flower to be judged, receiving unanimous praise from the judges including Liu Daxiong (president of the Guangdong Nanhai Orchid Association). Because it had been collected not long before and its leaves had been gnawed by insects, it was not very complete, and it was awarded the bronze prize (there is an award certificate archived). The flower won the Special Gold Prize at the 2007 Guangxi Cross-Strait Second (Rong County) Orchid Exposition.

    Appreciation: Looking across the new varieties in the orchid world, a fully plain-colored excellent petal-type flower is one of the most difficult varieties to appear, and a new variety of stable fully plain-colored petal-type flower is also a variety that orchid growers of past generations have dreamed of, long regarded as a high-end variety. Datang Gongfen is a good flower that can be passed down through generations, the leader among the varieties in my garden, and the treasure of my town's garden.

    Looking at the whole flower, the proportion between the plant form and the flower is harmonious, standing out among the plain-colored flowers of the four-season orchid - shell-shaped petals, thick and jade-smooth, the entire flower fully plain-colored, the flower color pure, pink and clean as ice; the petal type belongs to the plum-lotus type, with extremely good root constriction, the flower stalk rising above the leaves, a distant delicate fragrance, upright and dignified, with a very beautiful bearing. Regardless of whether this variety is a weak seedling, medium seedling or strong seedling, as long as it blooms it will produce a high-grade floral quality, blooming for 7 to more than 10 days, with good substance and the flower form unchanging, each blossom alike. Everyone who has seen the actual flower believes it is far more beautiful than photographs, and owners have always regretted being unable to capture photographs that convey the charm of the actual flower. Because my garden possesses Datang Gongfen, it has always given me endless pleasure in appreciation and the drive for development.