Wanzi Orchid (Cymbidium goeringii 'Wanzi') cultivation methods and precautions
A plum-petal Cymbidium goeringii, it was later transported together with other orchids to Jiaxing, Zhejiang for sale. It was then sold near the site of the long-since-burned-down "Yuanyuan Tower" in Jiaxing to a local scholar named Shen Zhiming. "Shen Zhiming" named it Yuanyuan No. 1 Plum after the lake name of the land where it was purchased and the shape of its petals. Yuanyuan No. 1 Plum "Shen Zhiming" was later sold to...
The new shoots of Wanzi are pale emerald green, with a faint purple-red tinge. The leaves are obliquely upright, sometimes semi-pendant; old leaves are bow-shaped, lake-green, and glossy. The petioles are tight and slender, the middle of the leaf blade is broad, and the tips are long and pointed. The widest part of the leaf is about 1.3-1.5 cm, and the length is about 26-28 cm. The leaf groove is shallow, the marginal leaves have wavy ridges, the leaf margins are finely and densely serrated, the veins are deep, and the leaf texture is thick and hard, robust and powerful, with graceful curves. The leaf form is unique among Cymbidium goeringii, with myriad variations. The color of the flower segments is the same tone as the leaf color, which is also one of the characteristics of Wanzi. The bracts are deep purple, gradually becoming more intense inward, with green mixed at the pointed tips. Dark, subdued purple vein lines run all the way to the top, deep in color but not murky. The bracteoles are especially round and broad, tightly embracing the flower center, pale purple, with a sense of transparency, with rich green coloration on the upper part, dark purple at the base, with short and sparse mottling, and a single dark, subdued purple vein line in the center. The outer three segments of the Wanzi orchid flower are short, round, broad and large, with pointed peaks at the segment tips. It is also the representative among plum-petal-type flowers with the roundest sepals and relatively narrow and long segment bases. The segments are thick in texture and pure in quality, with a flat shoulder, though sometimes they open as flying shoulders, full of lively expression. The three sepals are mutually coordinated in shape, position and color, balancing form and spirit, and quite charming. The silkworm-moth-shaped lip is thick, round and tight, upright, glutinous, soft, smooth and glossy, with tightly rolled edges forming a deep pouch shape. The pouch head shows a red flush spot (a faint red dot), which is also one of the characteristics of Wanzi. It is very alluring. The two lip segments close over the fragrant column. It has a typical small ruyi tongue, small and round, not loose, concave in a triangular shape, with a pale red depression, and the tip section turning purple-green, with sparse purple vein lines. It is 12-16 cm high. The flower is lake-green, with a white head and white edges before opening. The flower shape is larger than that of Song Mei, and the open diameter can reach 5.5-6 cm, with five segments in separate sockets. The flower is quiet, dignified and beautiful, and the flower stands tall above the leaf framework, appearing high-spirited and uplifting, very vigorous.
