Home › Orchids › Article

Introduction to the Cymbidium 'Xishu Daoguang' Spring Orchid Variety

Orchids 0 views
"Xishu Daoguang" has leaf margins with a slight serration; the leaves are slanted upright and slightly drooping, tapering to a fine tip, with the leaf apex curving upward, locally commonly called "dragon raising its head" (referred to in books as "dew-receiving leaf"). This is a major feature for identifying true versus false Daoguang. Its leaf sheaths have obvious crystal tips and twist outward when sprouting. Leaf length varies from 40-60 cm. The multi-leaf pseudobulbs are elliptical,...
"Xishu Daoguang" has leaf margins with a slight serration; the leaves are slanted upright and slightly drooping, tapering to a fine tip, with the leaf apex curving upward, locally commonly called "dragon raising its head" (referred to in books as "dew-receiving leaf"). This is a major feature for identifying true versus false Daoguang. Its leaf sheaths have obvious crystal tips and twist outward when sprouting. Leaf length varies from 40-60 cm. The multi-leaf pseudobulbs are elliptical. The flower stem is tender green with a yellow tint showing through, and the flower scape rises above the foliage. Each scape bears 2-7 flowers (depending on the strength or weakness of the plant). The flowers are dignified and elegant, with diamond-shaped petals, thick and delicate as if carved from jade. The flower color is tender yellow or golden yellow, hence it is named for its color and the flower is called "sprout yellow." This flower is a true-form fully plain-color variety. Flower diameter is about 5-6 cm, and the lip is slightly rolled. When in bloom, it has a fresh fragrance that greets the nose, with lovely beauty.

Xishu Daoguang is the most famous among the plain-centered yellow-flowered Spring Orchids, and is also the foremost of Sichuan's Four Great Famous Flowers.
Xishu Daoguang was originally named Xu Family Sprout Yellow, the foremost of Sichuan's traditional famous orchids. This flower is the most famous variety of plain-centered sprout-yellow-flowered Spring Orchids. Its color, texture, form, charm, and fragrance are all excellent, and it can be called the epitome of Sichuan orchid culture.
Xishu Daoguang has a long history. Legend says it was discovered more than one hundred years ago during the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty near Tianshi Cave on Mount Qingcheng in Sichuan (one of the birthplaces of Chinese Daoism). At that time, a flower lover surnamed Xu from Daxing Township, Guan County, Sichuan (now Minxing Township, Dujiangyan City) went to Mount Qingcheng to collect flowers and trees. He saw a clump of orchids in the forest blooming very charmingly and with striking elegance, so he casually brought this flower back to his rural hometown to cultivate. Later it spread among the neighbors and became a shared enthusiasm; everyone called this flower "Xu Family Sprout Yellow." During the Cultural Revolution, this flower was regarded as one of the Four Olds and suffered greatly. By the end of the Cultural Revolution, fewer than thirty plants remained. In 1990, when it was compiled into the Guan County Gazetteer, it was named "Xishu Daoguang," taking both the Daoist Zen meaning and implying its place of origin, Mount Qingcheng, and its discovery during the Daoguang period. In the late 1970s, because of its superior quality, it already became a famous variety for national orchid export. Those later called "foreign trade sprout yellow" actually refer to the tall, high-quality Daoguang descendants used for foreign trade export.
It once won a gold award at the 1993 Hong Kong, China International Orchid Show.

Related Articles