What Are the Main Types of Chinese Orchids? A Detailed Guide to Flower-Growing Basics

There are 500 genera and 15,000 species of orchids, widely distributed across tropical and temperate regions of the globe. In China there are about 150 genera and 1,000 species, with the southwest and Taiwan, China being especially rich in them. The traditional Chinesecultivatedterrestrialorchidsare collectively called "Chinese orchids." By flowering time they can be divided into four major groups: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Someorchidsare very fragrant but have too short a flower scape to reveal their beauty; some have large flowers but no fragrance. The better varieties are mainly 7 kinds: ① Cymbidium goeringii (Spring Orchid): mainly produced in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The leaves are fine and much curved, the flower scape is single, and it must have a vernalization condition below 10°C to bloom. ② SpringCymbidium faberi (Huilan): also called Jiuzilan, Jiujielan, Xialan. The leaf texture is relatively thin and slender. It has a relatively high requirement for air humidity. Its care is more complicated than that ofCymbidium goeringii. It is mainly produced in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other provinces. It is most suitable for cultivation in subtropical regions. ③ Chun Jian Lan: also called Bamaolan, Niucaolan. The leaf shape is unrestrained and elegant, and it bears pale yellow-green flower-like blooms, with a scape 20-35 cm tall, 3-7 flowers per scape, many flower colors and good fragrance. It is produced in the Jinsha River, Dadu River and Min River basins. ④ Cymbidium ensifolium (Jianlan)：Jianlanis called Qiulan in some places,four-seasonorchid, arrowCymbidium faberi, Xionglan, Jianyelan, summerCymbidium faberi, Junhelan and so on. The scape bears 5-9 flowers, some as many as 18, mostly pale yellow, with a flower diameter of 4-6 cm and a rich delicate fragrance. It is easy to care for and has a large flowering volume, and is mainly produced in Fujian. ⑤ Cymbidium tortisepalum (Lianbanlan): mainly produced in northern Yunnan and southern Sichuan. Its flowering period is from December to March of the following year, with 3-5 flowers per scape and a flower diameter of 4-6 cm, in white, red, yellow, green or with vein patterns. The lip is rolled back, and the flowers have a delicate fragrance. ⑥ Cymbidium kanran (Hanlan): the scape bears more than 10 flowers, and the flowers have a delicate fragrance. The flower diameter is above 8 cm, with the largest reaching 16 cm. The petals are short and wide, and the lip is large and long. The flower posture and colors are rich and varied. ⑦ Cymbidium sinense (Molan): the flower color is brownish purple, close to ink. Its full bloom period is during the Spring Festival, so it is also called Baosuilan, Fengsuilan, Baisuilan. The leaves are broad, large and glossy, and the plant stance is spectacular. However,Cymbidium sinenseis not cold-tolerant, and its flowers have a sweet fragrance. Among the 7 kinds oforchids, each orchid has small classifications such as dwarf varieties, strange-leaf, strange-flower, petal-shaped flowers, butterfly-shaped flowers, aberrant-form flowers, multicolored flowers, plain-heart flowers, colored-heart flowers and so on. Editor in charge: Yuhuaren