What are the flower meanings, types and characteristics of Chinese orchids?

Orchids, that is, orchids, in China are ranked alongside "plum, bamboo and chrysanthemum", collectively known as the "Four Gentlemen", symbolising noble elegance, simplicity and quietness. Orchids are rated as one of China's top ten famous flowers, have always been praised by scholars and literati, and have more than a thousand years of cultivation history in China. There are many types of orchids, grown all over the country, mostly distributed in tropical and subtropical climates, with the greatest number of species in southern regions such as Yunnan, Sichuan and Taiwan, China. When we usually speak of orchids, we generally mean Chinese orchids, namely the five major types: Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense and Cymbidium kanran. Below, the editor will introduce them to you.

1. Cymbidium goeringii

The roots of Cymbidium goeringii are slender and round, the pseudobulbs are round and large, and the leaves are short and narrow. It generally blooms from February to April. The number of flowers per plant varies; usually there is one flower per stem, and occasionally two flowers per stem. It grows on rocky slopes, at forest edges and in light gaps within forests at altitudes of 300-2200 m (in Taiwan, China it can rise to 3000 m). Cymbidium goeringii has a long cultivation history in China, and is mostly grown as a potted plant, used for indoor ornamentation. When in bloom it has a particularly elegant fragrance, making it an excellent choice for indoor display.

2. Cymbidium faberi

Cymbidium faberi has many varieties, and the plants are generally taller. It has 5-13 leaves, the leaf veins are thick, numerous and obvious, the leaf margins have obvious and relatively coarse serrations, and the pseudobulbs are not obvious. The flower stalks are upright, bearing 5-30 flowers. The petals are large and the colours are brilliant and varied, mostly yellow-green or emerald green; the lip has green velvety moss adorned with many purplish-red spots. It generally blooms from March to May. The number of flower stalks per plant is not as great as in Cymbidium goeringii; one stalk can have 6-13 flowers, with exceptions of more or fewer. Cymbidium faberi is native to central and southern China. It likes a warm, humid and semi-shaded environment, is relatively cold-tolerant, fears water shortage and dryness, and prefers loose, fertile and airy leaf mould. The overwintering temperature should not be lower than 5°C.

3. Cymbidium ensifolium

Cymbidium ensifolium is also called the four-season orchid; when well grown it can bloom two to three seasons a year, with the flowering period from June to October, and 3-7 flowers per stalk. The pseudobulbs are relatively large, the leaf colour is relatively light, and the veins on the leaves are fairly clear. The flower colours of Cymbidium ensifolium are mostly yellow-green or light red, with purplish-red showing through the middle and also faint green. Some flowers bear creamy yellow or reddish-purple spots. Cymbidium ensifolium has a long cultivation history and many varieties, and is very commonly grown in southern China. It is an excellent choice for display on balconies, in living rooms, on flower stands and on the steps of small courtyards, appearing fresh and elegant.

4. Cymbidium sinense

Cymbidium sinense, also known as the New Year orchid, is a terrestrial plant of the genus Cymbidium in the family Orchidaceae. Its leaves are broad and large, clearly different from those of the other orchids, and it blooms from January to February. One flower stalk often bears 10-20 flowers. The flower colour varies considerably, most often dark purple or purple-brown with a lighter-coloured lip, and also yellow-green, peach-red or white, generally with a relatively strong fragrance. The pseudobulbs are ovoid, enclosed within the leaf bases. The leaves are strap-shaped, nearly thinly leathery, dark green. It grows in shaded places with moist but well-drained soil under forests, in shrubby woods or beside stream valleys at altitudes of 300-2000 m.

5. Cymbidium kanran

Cymbidium kanran has a slender, graceful and sturdy plant form, elegant and handsome leaf posture, brilliant and varied flower colours, and a clear, mellow and lasting fragrance. Its leaves are somewhat similar to those of Cymbidium faberi. Cymbidium kanran bears many flowers per stalk; one flower stalk often bears 5-12 flowers, and the flowering period is from August to December. The flower stalks of Cymbidium kanran are delicate and small, and the flowers it produces are finer and smaller than those of Cymbidium faberi and Cymbidium ensifolium. The pseudobulbs are narrowly ovoid, enclosed within the leaf bases. The leaves are strap-shaped, thinly leathery, dark green, and the front margins often have fine teeth. It grows under forests, beside stream valleys or on slightly shaded, moist, stony soil at altitudes of 400-2400 m.

The above is the editor's introduction to the types of orchids. Orchids are very highly regarded among Chinese people, and pure love and sincere friendship can both be expressed with orchids. The orchids among China's traditional famous flowers refer only to certain species of terrestrial orchids distributed among the Cymbidium plants of China, mainly the five major categories: Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium sinense and Cymbidium kanran. This type of orchid is quite different from tropical orchids with large, brightly coloured flowers; it has no striking flamboyance and no huge flowers or leaves, yet it possesses a simple, quiet, light and elegant, noble temperament, which fits well with the aesthetic standards of Eastern people.

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