What are the reasons for Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn?

Mr. Zhang Shanghua of Huainan City published the article "It Is Not Simple for Cymbidium faberi to Bloom in Autumn: A Discussion with Mr. Hu Yimin," which left a deep impression. Since it is a piece of debate, I will add some of my own views. His viewpoint is mainly developed from a discussion of the distribution and evolution process of wild Yilan in this province. Anhui has a special landform, with great topographic differences, high in the south and low in the north. The Yangtze River and Huai River mainly run through the province, and the climate differs greatly, with distinct seasons, warm and humid in the south and dry and cold in the north. The specific geographical location and different climatic environments make the distribution of wild Yilan uneven. The large-scale orchid-producing areas are south of the Yangtze River and in the southwestern part of the Jianghuai Watershed. In these places the forests are dense and there grows a relatively large amount ofCymbidium faberi, whileCymbidium goeringiiis relatively scarce. Our province'sorchid growingexpert Mr. Li Renyun gave a relatively clear summary of the distribution of wild Cymbidium faberi in Anhui in the book "Orchid Charm," so I will not repeat it here. Today I will mainly discuss theCymbidium faberiecological environment and the effects of climatic factors that produce autumnbloomingand the various reasons for it. Below I will explain from three different aspects. 1.Cymbidium faberiblooming in autumn is purely an occasional product in a specific environment, and at present it cannot be regarded as a universal consensus. On the one hand,Cymbidium faberiautumn blooming is first attributed to a product formed through evolution under abnormal natural climatic factors. Although autumn blooming of Cymbidium faberi is rare and uncommon, it is formed in an unusually specific environment and belongs to the abnormal category. Although the province's wild Yilan resources are quite abundant, they are not universal and differ greatly. This is inseparable from natural factors such as the province's specific geographical location, complex geological structure, different landforms, climatic environment, vegetation and rainfall. On the other hand, the Yangtze River and Huai River form three major regions: south, north and central, causing relatively large climatic contrasts. South of the Yangtze River belongs to the mountainous area of southern Anhui, north of the Huai River belongs to the northern Anhui Plain, and the middle is called the Jianghuai region. Southern Anhui is mountainous with a mild and humid climate and abundant vegetation, containing a certain amount of wild Yilan resources. The vast and boundless northern Huai plain has a harsh, dry climate with little rain and simply has no Cymbidium faberi resources. Only the Jianghuai region has a good warm and humid environmental condition and fertile land. The area along the Dabie Mountains in the southwestern part of the Jianghuai Watershed is the main distribution area of Cymbidium faberi. Here the ecological conditions are suitable for the large-scale breeding and reproduction of Cymbidium faberi. The mountains are not very high, averaging around 500 m in elevation, and there are relatively many Cymbidium faberi in the bamboo forests of the mountains. Shucheng County, Huoshan County, Jinzhai County and Lu'an City all belong to the old revolutionary base areas. In many places there are virgin forests, vegetation is abundant, and the environmental and ecological resources have not been damaged by human activity. Many wild Yilan reproduce and grow on their own in large areas of pine and bamboo forests. In the process of natural evolution, when abnormal climatic phenomena are encountered, autumn blooming occasionally occurs. At the same time, the Cymbidium faberi in the flower markets every winter and spring mainly comes from these mountainous areas. This is how the specific environment and superior geographical location nurture a certain number of rare flowers and extraordinary Cymbidium faberi appearing every year. The wildCymbidium faberihere is not only easy to grow but also highly adaptable, and extensive management makes it easy to bloom. Local mountain farmers say that Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn is a sign of a warm winter, and a symbol of flower bud tillering during the growing season. When Cymbidium faberi encounters an unusually specific environment, it sometimes blooms twice a year, in spring and autumn. This does not belong to the universal category but to the occasional and irregular category. Not all of the Jianghuai region has Cymbidium faberi resources. North of the watershed, Shouxian County, Huoqiu County and the area north of Lu'an City simply have no wild Cymbidium faberi, all due to the special landform of the Jianghuai Watershed. Moreover, in the vast area north of Huainan and Bengbu, it is even harder to see wildCymbidium faberi. 2. Why does Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn arouse people's interest today? With today'sorchid growingboom increasing and the development of a novelty-seeking mentality, people feel that Cymbidium faberi blooming in an opposite season is rare, uncommon and inconceivable. Could it be that before liberation wild Yilan never bloomed in years of abnormal climate? It was just that at the time it did not attract the widespread attention it does today. Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn is something that has existed since ancient times, not a discovery of today. Today peoplegrow orchidsand love orchids and pursue the unusual, discussing that Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn is purely caused by natural factors. Cymbidium faberi is a perennial wild plant. It is itself a flower that is relatively drought-tolerant, cold-resistant and strongly adapted to the seasons. Unlike other plants, although its pseudobulbs are small, its sprouting rate is high, its leaves are thick and its root system is developed, uniquely possessing the advantage of tenacious natural vitality. It can rely on a good natural ecology in a specific environment and, under conditions of sufficient rain, promote the possibility of a second swelling of buds and blooming in a short time. This shows that Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn is inseparable from the inevitable factors produced by abnormal climate and conforms to Cymbidium faberi's own patterns. When any plant encounters abnormal seasonal changes during the nurturing stage of its growth and evolution, there are many phenomena of blooming a second flush of flowers and bearing a second crop of fruit. Botanically speaking, these all belong to the inevitable patterns of abnormal growth reflected in natural ecological evolution. 3. Human factors may also promote the possibility of Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn. After the flowers fade, if Cymbidium faberi is planted in a pot and given moderate water and fertilizer management, the temporarily dormant Cymbidium faberi can be made to bloom quickly during flower bud tillering, but it needs two-year-old strong plants. Off-season blooming is purely a special case and does not conform to the normal flowering period pattern of Cymbidium faberi. However, given the size of the country, the possibility of Cymbidium faberi blooming and releasing fragrance in autumn in other provinces cannot be ruled out. Mountain farmers often discover Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn in the mountains. As they say, "In the severe winter, all trees wither, wild animals have no green grass to eat, and the green leaves of orchids and Cymbidium faberi exposed in the mountains are most likely to be eaten by animals in the wild. They eat off half the orchid leaves and still leave half a stubble, which does not affect sprouting and growth at all. In spring all things revive and sprout rapidly, promoting flower bud tillering, and after a period of favorable weather they are nurtured, sprout and bloom." What the mountain farmers say makes sense. Artificially regulating the flowering period is difficult to make fit people's wishes. For example, if in early spring a strong and sturdy Cymbidium faberi is selected, its flower buds removed and it is planted in a pot, with sufficient water and fertilizer it may happen to bloom in autumn; there are such cases, but they can only belong to occasional flower bud variation, and the following year it will still bloom again, not stably. Therefore, in discussing Cymbidium faberi blooming in autumn, one cannot rule out the abnormal results within the evolution of ecological material changes under the influence of natural factors. In our city in recent years, quite a few orchid growers and enthusiasts have been fond of specializing in growing Cymbidium faberi; some specialize in pot cultivation and domestication of Cymbidium faberi. Through several years of growing, everyone occasionally has autumnbloomingevery year, and quite a few have it bloom twice a year. Everyone agrees that Cymbidiumfaberiflowers are strongly fragrant and easier to grow thanCymbidium goeringii, and that the leaves are elegant, unrestrained, generous and extraordinary, with the advantage of adorning a room with elegance. This breaks the past traditional orchid-growing notion that onlyCymbidium goeringiishould be grown and Cymbidium faberi is hard to grow, and the mistaken idea that potted Cymbidium faberi does notbloom. The climate difference between the Dabie Mountains in the southwestern part of the Jianghuai Watershed and the mountainous area of southern Anhui is not great, so both places have large amounts of wild Cymbidium faberi resources. Moreover, Mr. Hu Yimin mainly engages in research on Anhui Huizhou-style penjing, mainly based in the mountainous area of southern Anhui, and often travels over mountains and rivers, so occasionally seeing Cymbidium faberi grown by others blooming in autumn is not surprising. What Mr. Zhang Shanghua says also makes sense; he merely neglected that the area north of Shouxian County simply has no wild Cymbidium faberi resources. At present, throughout the country, wherever people love orchids and grow orchids, orchid fragrance appears, and the phenomenon of autumn blooming in pots by orchid lovers cannot be ruled out. Nowadays, the techniques of orchid lovers and growers greatly exceed the traditional level, and it is normal for Cymbidium faberi to occasionally bloom in autumn during cultivation. With science developed today, botanists use scientific means to regulate the flowering periods of flowers to meet market demand, and flowers following people's wishes will no longer be far away. In the vast world, with countless plants, it is not surprising that the adjustment and nurturing of nature enables Cymbidium faberi to continuously evolve and bloom off-season. The above discussion mainly focuses on natural conditions. There is more elaboration on climatic influence, different landforms, ecological differences and so on, and it is hard to persuade everyone. This article is only for discussion and I dare not demand agreement from others. Anhui Chen Jiufa