Appreciation Techniques for Orchid Unusual Leaves and Variegation
1. Elegant plant form: The plant forms of Chinese orchids may look the same, but in fact their shapes vary: some are upright and vigorous, some are semi-arching with graceful curves, and some are obliquely spreading or fully pendulous, among others. Those that are refined and elegant are considered superior; only those that are vigorous yet still elegant achieve a balance of strength and grace, otherwise they are merely coarse wood. Bending and drooping do not equal weakness; there is strength within softness, and only when bending and drooping are moderate are the curves graceful. The leaves should be arranged neatly, or curved with posture and a sense of antique charm; a messy, disheveled look always seems lacking in beauty.
1. Elegant plant form: The plant forms of Chinese orchids may look the same, but in fact their shapes vary: some are upright and vigorous, some are semi-arching with graceful curves, and some are obliquely spreading or fully pendulous, among others. Those that are refined and elegant are considered superior; only those that are vigorous yet still elegant achieve a balance of strength and grace, otherwise they are merely coarse wood. Bending and drooping do not equal weakness; there is strength within softness, and only when bending and drooping are moderate are the curves graceful. The leaves should be arranged neatly, or curved with posture and a sense of antique charm; a messy, disheveled look always seems lacking in beauty.
2. Beautiful leaves: The ancient orchid manuals say: "A line-incense stalk, a mantis belly, and an eel tail make a beautiful leaf." That is to say, the leaf stalk stands firm like "line incense," the middle of the leaf blade resembles a "mantis belly," and the leaf tip is like an "eel tail." In fact, the best leaf tips of fine-string orchids all resemble "boat tails"; the "eel tail" in ancient orchid manuals may be a clerical error caused by similar pronunciation. There are many beautiful leaves, such as "Yonglu leaf," "round-head spoon leaf," and so on. In all cases, beauty lies in having both shape and form; those that are flat and formless are all ordinary flowers.
3. Leaf texture glutinous and moist: The leaf texture of Chinese orchids is glutinous and moist, and only when the vein patterns are fine and contained can the flowers bloom as superior grade. If the leaf branches are rough, or the vein patterns are coarse and bright or mixed with fine ones, there will be no good flowers.
4. Leaf color dripping green: Those with emerald-green, dripping-jade leaf color are good. Plain-heart orchids have moist and somewhat pale leaf color, while most unusual flowers have yellowish leaf color. Those with thick texture, raised skin, and dull, lusterless color are either unusual flowers or lotus-type flowers; those with oily, bright leaf color that is also coarse and astringent are all inferior.
5. Leaf sheaths firm and upright: Leaf sheaths are also commonly called foot shells, armor, leaf trousers, and so on. Only those with firm and upright leaf sheaths, thick and glutinous texture, shapely form, and colorful hue are superior; those that are pale, soft, oily, astringent, and colorless are all rather inferior.
6. Fragrance clear, distant, and elegantly refined: Only when the fragrance of Chinese orchids is clear, distant, and elegantly refined does it show their noble character. Fragrance that is strong, fierce, turbid, heavy, or stuffy is all undesirable. Even those with no fragrance or a foul odor should not be selected.
Chinese orchids have many species and even more lines. The species and lines have extremely strong individual characteristics and all have detailed and strict appreciation standards. The following uses different terms to introduce the appreciation standards for Chinese orchids of the plum, lotus, narcissus, plain-heart, unusual, butterfly, colored-flower, and unusual-leaf types, as well as variegation, and new lines such as leaf-loving-flower, snowflake spots, and dragon-embracing-pearl scale-bearing types. If there are errors or omissions, readers and experts are asked to correct them so that we may improve together.