How to Identify Orchid Seedlings? Teach You the Method to Distinguish Orchid Seedlings

One, smell the fragrance:Orchidsdo not rely on people to be fragrant on their own; those with a clear fragrance and no turbidity are the finest.

Two, look at the posture: those with a well-proportioned whole plant and harmonious flowers and leaves are good.

Three, look at the color: flower colors of a pure single color and light green are good; dark green is next; those with red streaks or red dots on the petals and lip are even lower; those that are red when first opening and later turn green are lower still. Leaf color that is glossy and lustrous is good.

Four, look at the shoulders: the two lateral petals on the left and right rising slightly upward are called "flying shoulders," and are the most precious; those spreading horizontally and flat into a "single-character shoulder" are superior varieties; those whose two lateral petals gradually droop after blooming are called "drooping shoulders," and are next.

Five, look at the petals: in orchids it is generally agreed that judging the petals is primary. Lotus-petal type is the finest, plum-petal type is next, and narcissus-petal type is next again. Odd-petal multi-flowered and butterfly-petal types are a notch above again.

Six, look at the column: the column, when smooth and clean, thick and fleshy, and concave inward into a pouch shape, indicates a good variety.

Seven, look at the lip: the lip petal is best when its form is regular, round, short and large. The color on the lip is called the moss; pure white, green, or fully red are best, yellow is next. The lip often has red lines or block-shaped red spots; those with bright, vivid color are good, and spots forming a single dot, a single block, or a triangular arrangement are good; the appearance of multiple lips is unusual.

Eight, look at the nose: a small nose that appears full of spirit is the finest. The appearance of a hard, large nose is unusual.

Nine, look at the shell: the shell is the bract. Those with discerning eyes can tell from the bracts of a "mute grass" that if the veins run in an orderly pattern all the way to the top, it will surely produce good flowers. Generally, green is good, and purple-red is next.

Ten, look at the stalk: a stalk that is clear in color, whose length matches the flowers and leaves, and that is slender and stands out above the leaves (commonly called "flower rising above the frame") is good.

In summary of the above, orchids are a commodity, determined by region, season, and human factors; when one is used to them they are all good, and when not used to them they do not grow well, wasting money, effort, and time; "running after others" is not worthwhile either. Each of the east, west, south, north, and center simply has its own preferences, and the differences in awards and judging are no more than this. National exhibitions are continuous; the important thing is to participate, to appreciate, learn, and exchange, so as not to be "misled."

In some larger flower markets, various beautiful orchids can often be seen for sale. How can these orchid types be identified? Several commonlycultivatedorchids are introduced below for flower enthusiasts to refer to when purchasing.

　　Cymbidium goeringii (Spring Orchid): roots fleshy, white; leaves narrowly linear, about 20 cm to 25 cm long, with fine sharp serrations along the edges and obvious veins; each stem bears 1 to 2 flowers, yellow-green, with a clear, quiet fragrance; blooms in early spring from February to March.

　　Cymbidium faberi (Huilan): roots fleshy, light yellow; leaves linear, more upright and thicker and longer than those of Cymbidium goeringii, with rough leaf edges; one stem bears 5 to 13 flowers, light yellow, with a greenish-white lip bearing red-purple spots; the flowers are very fragrant; the flowering period is from April to May.

　　Cymbidium ensifolium (Jianlan): leaves broadly linear, mostly upright, with smooth leaf edges; one stem bears 16 to 12 flowers, yellow-green to light yellow-brown, with dark purple stripes; the fragrance is very strong; the flowering period is from July to September.

　　Cymbidium sinense (Molan): leaves 50 cm to 100 cm long and up to 3 cm wide, smooth, with pointed tips, upright in habit; the flower stalk is about 60 cm tall, and one stem bears 5 to 10 flowers; the petals mostly have purple-brown stripes; the flowering period is from winter to early spring, and they are fragrant.

　　Cymbidium kanran (Hanlan): leaves narrow and upright; the flower stalk is slender and upright, bearing 5 to 9 flowers; the flowers are small and the petals narrow, in colors such as yellow, white, blue-green, red, and purple; fragrance is clear; the flowering period is from late autumn to early spring.

Standards for Judging the Quality of Orchids
The standards for good and poor quality are introduced as follows:
1. Roots that are round, fine, and numerous are good.
2. Leaves that are tight at the base and broad in the middle and upper parts are good.
3、The flower'scolor is best when tender green, next when deep green, and next again when red-green. Bright red flowers are also good. Those with a plain center or plain flowers, that is, the whole flower of one color, are even better.
4. The floral fragrance is best when clear, elegant, pure, and mild; those with an overly strong off-odor are inferior.
5. The three outer petals of the flower are valued when even, slightly thick in texture, and glutinous in quality. Those with a broad main petal and narrow lateral petals, or with the petals curling outward, are inferior.
6. Shoulders that are "level shoulders" are the finest (that is, with the main petal as the center, the left and right petals spreading horizontally and level are called level shoulders). Those with the two lateral petals slightly upward, called "flying shoulders," are also good. If the shoulders slope downward, called "drooping shoulders," they are next.
7. The column (that is, the inner petals) is best when smooth and clean, large, thick, and glutinous.
8. The lip is best when short, round, broad, and large. If it is a colored center, those with stable patterns of colored spots and lines and good color are good.
9. The dots (referring to the dots on the lip) on the lip of Cymbidium goeringii must be neat; those that are messy and dull in color are inferior.
10. Identification of flower buds. Orchids on the market are supplied before blooming, so flower buds become the main object for identifying and selecting fine varieties. This can be done by recognizing the bud's outer shape and the color of the bud sheaths. Cymbidium goeringii opens one flower, so it is relatively easy to identify. The bud shape is best when short and round, like a soybean or peanut; when it blooms, the petals are often also short and round, and one can select a lotus-petal-type orchid. If the tip of the bud sheath has a white dot, this may be a main sign of a plum-petal or narcissus-petal type. If the bud sheath is bright and glossy in color, with fine, dense veins running straight from the base to the top and tightly clasping layer upon layer, its petals may be pure green. Plain-center varieties often have bud sheaths that are pure white-green, like thin gauze, without the slightest stray-colored lines. The characteristics of summer orchids are not as obvious as those of Cymbidium goeringii; one may choose those whose bud sheaths clasp tightly, whose color is distinct and glossy, whose bud sheaths are thick and short, and whose bud sheath tips curl inward and form a pouch; these are often the finest. These can only serve as references; whether they are truly good or bad still needs to be judged after blooming.