Orchids: The Most Precious Varieties Among China's Top Ten Famous Flowers and Care & Watering Frequency

“China's top ten famous flowers” - the orchid, ranked fourth, is widely regarded as a precious flower and plant. In China, many people see the orchid as a symbol of purity and elegance. So how many varieties of orchids are there? Which varieties are the most precious? How do you care for them?

According to incomplete statistics, there are currently more than seven hundred genera and over twenty thousand species of orchids worldwide, and many new varieties are discovered and cultivated every year. Chinese orchids mainly fall into five major categories: Chunlan (Spring Orchid), Huilan (Cymbidium faberi), Jianlan (Four Seasons Orchid), Hanlan (Winter Orchid), and Molan (Ink Orchid).

How Many Varieties of Orchids Are There

I. Spring-Blooming Types

1. Chunlan (Spring Orchid), also called Caolan or Shanlan, is produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places. It has 4-6 leaves, with small serrations along the leaf margins; leaf color ranges from yellow-green to deep green, and leaf texture varies from thin to thick, with a glossy sheen. The bract colors vary from white-green, green, to purple-red with green. Flower buds emerge from late July to mid-to-late August; more flowers are produced on shady mountain slopes, while fewer come from sunny slopes. The roots are fleshy, thin and round. Each flower stalk bears 1 flower, occasionally 2, and the flowers are pale yellow-green. The flowering period is around early March. The flowers are fragrant.

2. Chunjian (Spring Sword), produced in the mountainous areas of western Sichuan. It has 4-5 leaves and 2 sheath-like leaves, with fine serrations along the leaf margins; the leaf color is deep green with a slight gloss. The bracts are rose-red with a deep green tinge. Each flower stalk bears 2-3 flowers; the flower shape is larger than that of Chunlan, with rich colors including white-green, pink, and purple-red. The flowering period is around mid-March. The flowers have a delicate fragrance.

3. Baosuilan, also known as Molan (Ink Orchid), is produced in Taiwan, China, Fujian, Guangdong and other places. It has 4 leaves and 2 sheath-like leaves, broad and long, slanting outward or semi-pendant, pale yellow-green, with a glossy leaf surface. The bracts are purple-red, rarely pale green or rose-colored. Each flower stalk bears 8-20 flowers in a twisted inflorescence. The flowering period is around mid-March. The fragrance is relatively faint.

II. Summer-Blooming Types

1. Xialan, also known as Huilan (Cymbidium faberi), commonly called Jiujielan, is produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places. It has 5-13 leaves, with obvious serrations along the leaf margins; the leaf texture is tough and varies from thick to thin, with a glossy sheen. The flower buds can be divided into two types in form: one is the short-bud type, where the membranous sheath of the bud is short with a pointed tip, mostly layered and enclosed; the other is the common long-bud type, where the membranous sheath of the bud is narrow and long. Each flower stalk bears 6-13 flowers in a twisted inflorescence. The flowering period is mid-to-late May, and the flowers last about 10 days. The flowers have a fresh, strong fragrance.

2. Small-flowered Xialan. Its leaves and flower buds resemble those of Chunlan. The leaves are relatively narrow and short. It is rarely seen among Xialan, and its flowering period is the same as Xialan.

3. Tailan, produced in Hunan, Jiangxi and other places. The leaf shape is short and broad, and the leaf color is dark green with a slight gloss. The flowers are purple-red, neatly shaped, in a twisted inflorescence. The flowers have no fragrance.

III. Autumn-Blooming Types

Qiulan, commonly known as Jianlan (Four Seasons Orchid), is produced in Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan, China, Zhejiang and other places. The leaves vary from broad to narrow and long to short, and the leaf color is yellow-green or dark green. Some varieties have glossy leaves. The bracts are grass-green. There are mostly two flowering periods: the first is from late July to early August, with more flowers, each flower stalk bearing about 8-9 flowers, and the fragrance is intense. The second is in early October, with fewer flowers, each stalk bearing only 2-3 flowers. The flowers form a twisted inflorescence, and the fragrance is light.

IV. Winter-Blooming Types

Hanlan (Winter Orchid), produced in Hunan, Jiangxi and other places. It has 4-7 leaves, narrow and long, with serrations at the tips, and a smooth leaf surface. The bracts are purple-red. Each flower stalk bears 5-12 flowers in a twisted inflorescence. The flower colors include yellow-green, green with pink or purple-red. The flowering period is from mid-November to mid-December. The flowers are richly fragrant. Famous orchids include: the famous Phalaenopsis, Singapore's Vanda, Taiwan, China's Dancing Lady Orchid and Dendrobium, Japan's large-flowered Huilan, etc.

Chunlan: Chunlan is also known as Caolan or Shanlan. Chunlan is widely distributed and rich in resources. The flowering period is from February to March each year and can last about 1 month. The flowers have a rich, pure fragrance. Precious varieties include various colors with lotus, plum, narcissus, and butterfly petal types. In terms of petal types, the famous varieties from Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the most typical.

Huilan: Huilan has thick, long roots; its leaves are narrow and strap-shaped, relatively rough and hard in texture, grayish-green, with obvious serrations along the leaf margins and prominent midribs. The flowers have a strong fragrance that spreads far and lasts long. The flower colors include yellow, white, green, light red, and multi-colored; most are colorful flowers, though there are also plain flowers and butterfly flowers.

Jianlan: Also called Four Seasons Orchid, it includes summer-blooming Xialan, Qiulan, etc. The Four Seasons Orchid is robust and upright, with green leaves and abundant flowers, strong fragrance and beautiful blooms; it fears neither heat nor cold, has strong vitality, and is easy to cultivate. Different varieties have different flowering periods, and flowers can be seen from May to December.

Hanlan: Hanlan is distributed in Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, and the southwestern regions of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan. Hanlan's leaves are more slender than those of the Four Seasons Orchid, especially narrower at the leaf base. The leaf posture is elegant and unrestrained, emerald green and delicate. There are large, medium, and small-leaf varieties as well as variegated-edge varieties. The flower colors are rich, including yellow, green, purple-red, and deep purple; they generally have mixed-color veins and spots, and there are also pure, spotless plain flowers. The sepals and petals are relatively narrow and slender, with a distinctive style, delicate and lovely, with an overwhelming fragrance.

Molan: Molan, also known as Baosuilan, Baisuilan, Fengsuilan, etc., is native to Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, Taiwan, China, Hainan, etc. in China. Orchid growers in various parts of southern China, especially Guangdong and Yunnan, most enjoy cultivating and viewing it.

Chunjian: Chunjian is often called authentic Sichuan Orchid. Although Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan all have famous varieties, the famous Sichuan Orchid varieties are the most precious. The flower colors include red, yellow, white, green, purple, black, and multi-colored; they are dazzling and brilliant, with graceful forms and elegant charm, rich fragrance and pure scent, and are often the first choice praised by orchid growers.

Ten Precious Orchid Varieties

Ghost Orchid

The Ghost Orchid is considered the most “precious” orchid in the eyes of international orchid enthusiasts. Its flower shape is ethereal and strange, and its flower color is ghostly white. It is named “Ghost Orchid” because its swaying posture in the wind is like a ghost. The Ghost Orchid blooms very rarely and is difficult to see, which makes it extremely precious.

Jade Orchid

The Jade Orchid's leaves are green like fluorescence, and its flowers are red as blazing fire, dazzling to the eye. The flowers and leaves complement each other, like an exquisite jade ornament, beautiful and eye-catching, inspiring admiration. It has extremely high horticultural and ornamental value.

Chunlan (Spring Orchid)

It can be said to be one of the orchids with the longest history in China's flower cultivation history. The plant is small and exquisite, and the flower shape is simple and elegant. Chunlan has been endowed with the traditional spirit of Chinese culture, representing the virtues of purity, fragrant subtlety, and elegance. Chunlan is also a symbol of many beautiful things.

Huilan (Cymbidium faberi)

It is a famous variety among orchids, and its flower shape is loved by many people. The biggest characteristic of Huilan is that its leaf veins are clear and transparent, able to reflect intense sunlight and also absorb short bursts of intense light.

Jianlan (Four Seasons Orchid)

Jianlan has extremely high horticultural and medicinal value. As medicine, Jianlan has effects such as relieving cough, relieving pain, promoting blood circulation, and moistening the lungs; in garden construction, Huilan, with its robust plant and rootstock, is suitable for courtyard garden design. When it blooms in midsummer, its fragrance is delicate and refreshing, making people feel revitalized.

Molan (Ink Orchid)

Molan has a dazzling appearance, a graceful and slender form, elegant charm, and a rich, pure fragrance. It is often recommended as the first choice for orchid growers.

Suguan Heding

Suguan Heding is a very precious orchid. As its fame has increased year by year, Suguan Heding once sold for a high price of over ten million. Just like its name, it is known for “plain” and “lotus”; its flower quality and grade are top-notch, and it is extremely rare on the market.

Dendrobium Orchid

Dendrobium Orchid was originally a Chinese herbal medicine and is a new ornamental plant; its development relies on industrialized flower market operations. The medicinal value of Dendrobium Orchid is mainly reflected in clearing heat and benefiting essence.

Phalaenopsis

As the name suggests, Phalaenopsis is named because its flowers look exactly like dancing butterflies. Because of its beautiful appearance, it is deeply loved by flower growers. It has also been crowned with the reputation of “Queen of Foreign Orchids.”

Lianban Lan (Lotus-Petal Orchid)

Lianban Lan is a very expensive orchid, with a single plant worth nearly over 2 million. The orchid flowers it produces have countless postures and brilliant colors, winning the affection of many flower lovers visually. Among the flowers, the butterfly lingering over the flower is the best praise for Phalaenopsis.

How to Grow Orchids in Pots at Home

1. Requirements for Potting Soil

A neutral to slightly acidic soil rich in humus, loose, and well-draining is best, with a pH generally around 5.5 to 6.5

2. Placement Location and Position

In spring, summer, and autumn, orchids can be kept outdoors and on balconies, choosing a spot with good ventilation, moist air, and no environmental pollution. A location near a pond or riverside is best.

3. Proper Shading

Orchids need proper shading. In early to mid-April, the netting can be removed and windows opened to let in more sunlight to promote growth. In May, aside from the midday sun, they can receive 6 hours of light; starting in June, shade all day; after October, aside from the midday sun, they can be fully exposed for care

4. Maintaining Nutrients

The stalks after the flowers fade should be cut off as early as possible to avoid consuming nutrients and affecting the sprouting of axillary buds. After cutting the flower stalks, use soft gauze or a cotton ball dipped in potassium permanganate solution to gently wipe the front and back of the orchid leaves to remove insect eggs, dust, and stains.

5. Properly Adjusting Light

Although orchids like a cool, ventilated environment, they also need proper sunlight exposure. Reasonably adjusting light helps orchids grow healthily. Generally speaking, for green-leaf varieties, rare-flower varieties, and dwarf orchid varieties, 60% of full-day sunlight is needed in spring, then 50% afterward; for variegated-leaf orchid varieties, 50% of full-day sunlight is needed in spring, then 30% afterward.

To adjust light well, families using a balcony-style setup for growing flowers can set up a movable plastic frame on the balcony, pulling it open when needed and covering it when not, to ensure the orchid's light duration.

6. Reasonable Fertilizer Supply

When the orchid plant is in a dormant or semi-dormant state and when it has just been divided and potted, the fertilizer applied cannot be absorbed; in seasons with high air humidity, applying too much fertilizer water will also place a heavier burden on the orchid's root system. To ensure safety, orchids generally should not be fertilized during the dormant period, and it is also not advisable to fertilize at the roots when they have just been divided and potted.

7. Proper Watering

Rainwater and spring water are best for watering orchids; tap water or rice-washing water should be left overnight before use. When watering, pour from the edge of the pot, and do not pour into the flower buds. The amount of water should be determined according to temperature, the dryness or moisture of the potting soil, and the growth condition of the orchid. Water more for plants with large leaves and less for those with fine leaves. From April to May, when new shoots have not yet emerged from the soil, the potting soil should be kept somewhat dry, as too much moisture can easily rot the new shoots; from June to September, during the orchid's new shoot growth period, the amount of water should be increased, and never water under the scorching midday sun. In autumn, reduce the amount of water appropriately; you can use foliar misting to keep the potting soil moist. In winter, water should be controlled even more, keeping it at “80% dry, 20% moist” as appropriate.

8. Regular Sterilization and Pest Removal

Around the orchid-growing area and the flower pots, potassium permanganate, chlorothalonil, and other chemicals can be sprayed once every 15 days; once a month, insecticides such as imidacloprid and trichlorfon can be sprayed once. Note that 2 hours after applying insecticide, spray the orchid leaves with clean water to avoid chemical damage.

9. Evening Misting

Orchids originally grow in humid environments, so in dry seasons, besides shading, evening misting is also necessary to increase air humidity and lower temperature; you can also water the ground (surface) under the potted orchids; the “one cold, one hot” effect can better stimulate orchid growth.

10. Wind and Rain Protection

Cut off dead branches and withered leaves. Orchids can tolerate light rain, but should avoid moldy rain, torrential rain, or continuous rain, otherwise the heart and leaves can easily rot. In rainy seasons, a small amount of plant ash can be appropriately scattered.

11. Cold Protection and Warmth Measures

Because orchid varieties differ, their places of origin vary, and their cold resistance also differs, so the time to bring them indoors in winter and their indoor placement also differ. Hanlan, Qiulan, and Baosuilan grow in the south and should be brought indoors (or have windows closed and netting drawn) when the temperature is 5°C, and placed in a south-facing sunny spot as much as possible. Chunlan and Xialan have strong cold resistance and can stay outside until 0°C. On sunny, windless days, open windows and draw the netting for ventilation. For Qiulan, on sunny days at 1-2°C, do not open windows; electric light heating can be used.