How to Appreciate Orchid Flower Forms? A Detailed Guide to the Characteristics of Common Orchid Flower Forms

(1) Plum-petal form: The three outer petals are short and round, thick in texture, and symmetrical. The shape resembles a plum blossom; the petals (the two inner petals) form a hood, have white tips and clasp tightly, and the lip is spread out, firm and upright without curling backward. 'Song Mei' is the typical example of the plum-petal form.

(2) Lotus-petal form: The three outer petals are thick and fleshy, broad and smooth, shaped like lotus petals, with a narrowed base and flared corners. The petals (inner petals) do not form a hood, resembling a slightly open clam shell, and the lip is broad and large, either projecting forward or curling backward. The flower forms are divided into large, medium, and small types: 'Tong He' and others belong to the large lotus-petal flowers, 'Huanqiu Hedin' belongs to the medium lotus-petal flowers, and 'Gai He' belongs to the small lotus-petal flowers. 'Tong He' and 'Gai He' are the typical examples of the lotus-petal form.

(3) Narcissus-petal form: The three outer petals are longer than those of the plum-petal form, and the petal tips are slightly pointed; the petals (inner petals) have a deep or light hood, and the lip hangs down or curls backward. 'Wang Zi Yipin' is the representative.

The narcissus-petal form has variants: the plum-type narcissus and the lotus-type narcissus.

The plum-type narcissus is characterized by: the three outer petals are slightly longer than those of the plum-petal form, and the main and secondary petals have a tightly narrowed base, with the main petal being especially obvious. The petals (inner petals) form a hood or a slight hood. 'Xi Shen', 'Cui Wen' and others are plum-type narcissus.

The lotus-type narcissus is characterized by: the three outer petals are relatively broad, similar to the lotus-petal form, and the petals (inner petals) form a hood or a slight hood. 'Long Zi' and 'Shuixian Da Fugui' are lotus-type narcissus.

(4) Strange-petal form: Any form in which the lower part of the outer secondary petals and the inner petals have transformed into lip shape, or in which the petals are multiple or missing, or in which there are multiple lips, is collectively called the strange-petal form:

1. Butterfly-petal form

It is divided into two types: outer butterfly and inner butterfly.

When the lower half of the secondary petals has become lip-like, it is called outer butterfly. When the lip transformation extends into 1/2 of the secondary petals, it is called full butterfly. When both secondary petals curl backward in a full butterfly, it is called flying butterfly, which is the finest type among butterfly-petal forms, such as 'Wucai Hudie' and 'Xiao Hudie'. When the underside of the secondary petals shows narrow or intermittent lip transformation, it is called half butterfly; when the three outer petals and the inner petals are narrow and long in a half butterfly, it is called grass butterfly. Half butterfly and grass butterfly are not very ornamental and are rarely kept for propagation.

A strange-petal form in which both inner petals have become lip-like is called inner butterfly, also known as ruidie (stamen butterfly). Historically, ruidie were not valued, so fewer were kept for propagation. Recently, greater attention has been paid in China to the discovery of ruidie varieties, and therefore a large number of ruidie have been found, especially in the Zhoushan area in recent years. From an appreciation standpoint, outer butterfly should rank above inner butterfly.

2. Multi-petal form

When the number of petals (including the lip) exceeds six, reaching seven, eight, or even several dozen, they are collectively called multi-petal. For example, 'Lü Yun', 'Yu Hudie' and others; the number of petals in such flowers varies from year to year, with no fixed flower form. However, the outer petal form remains unchanged; for example, 'Lü Yun' is lotus-type, and 'Yu Hudie' is bamboo-leaf type. Most new multi-petal flowers are unstable and very prone to changing form, so apart from the old multi-petal varieties, new varieties are generally rarely kept. In recent years, chrysanthemum-petal multi-petal types and peony-type multi-petal types have been discovered, such as 'Qiandao Zhi Hua' and 'Duo Duo Hudie', whose petals grow upward layer by layer like a chrysanthemum, with even more petals than traditional multi-petal flowers. Such flowers have attracted the attention of orchid enthusiasts at home and abroad.

3. Multi-lip form

When the three outer petals and the inner petals are all present in full number, and there are two or more lips, it is called multi-lip or multi-tongue. Because such flowers are unstable and also irregular and ungraceful in shape, they are rarely kept for propagation.