Several orchids suitable for beginners: easy to grow, bloom profusely, vigorous growth, strong fragrance and inexpensive

Introduction

Green plants and potted flowers are essential decorations for home life. Keeping some flowers and plants at home has many benefits: it beautifies the room and lifts your mood. "Huasheng Potted Plant Diary, Issue 1189" introduces several orchids suitable for beginners.

Xiaotaohong

Xiaotaohong, also known as Jiaomeilan, Shilan and so on, is a four-season cultivar of Cymbidium ensifolium (jianlan), widely recognized in orchid circles as the top choice for beginners. It won a major award at China's first orchid expo, which made it famous and turned it into a prized variety that everyone rushed to buy at the time. Its leaves are relatively light in color with fairly distinct veins, and its flowers are large, close to lotus-petal form. It mainly blooms from May to October, and also blooms in winter and spring, making it the Chinese cymbidium variety with the longest flowering period; its fragrance is light and very intense. It is very easy to care for, blooms and produces shoots readily, and is very suitable for beginners to grow.

Huangjin Caihong

Huangjin Caihong is a lined-leaf (xianyi) cultivar of Caihong. Its leaves carry golden lined variegation, the leaf shape is upright, and the leaf texture is thick and hard. It has multiple flowering periods each year and blooms repeatedly, often sending up several flower spikes at once, with several flowers per spike. The flowering period lasts, and the fragrance is deep and far-reaching. The lower the temperature, the redder the flowers; the flowers are colorful and strongly fragrant, so both flowers and leaves can be enjoyed. Its root system is well developed and its sprouting ability is strong. It is not difficult to cultivate and is about as easy to grow as ordinary potted green plants, and it is very good at boosting the confidence of beginner flower growers.

Zhudesu

Zhudesu, also known as Renhua Dahuasu, is a traditional famous plain-hearted (suxin) cultivar of Cymbidium ensifolium (jianlan). It once won a gold award at a national orchid competition. This cultivar has leaves with a strong fleshy texture that is soft, smooth, fine and glutinous, and rich in luster. Its flowers are large, nearly twice as large as Dahuasu, with a strong fragrance and a long flowering period; flowers can be seen from June to November. Both flowers and leaves are beautiful, making it a rare fine variety. Even more rare is that, as a traditional famous orchid variety, its price is very cheap, and it can be bought for just a few dozen yuan on the market: excellent quality at a low price.

Jinqi

Jinqi is an evolved crane-art (heyi) cultivar of Xiaotaohong and the representative of four-season crane-art, a traditional famous variety. It is easy to plant, has strong sprouting ability, and its thick leaves are not prone to tip burn, making it the top choice for beginners in four-season art orchids. Its flowers are very similar to those of Xiaotaohong, and its leaves are upright and verdant with golden margins, so both flowers and leaves can be enjoyed. It is also very easy to cultivate and inexpensive. Its flowering period lasts all year round, and it blooms in summer too, making it an excellent material for flower bonsai.

Xiaoshentong

Xiaoshentong is a hybrid orchid whose parents are Cymbidium hybridum (large-flowered cymbidium) and four-season Cymbidium ensifolium (jianlan). It combines the beauty of both: it has the gorgeous, colorful qualities of Western orchids as well as the fresh, plain elegance of Chinese cymbidiums. Its flower count is extremely large, and it easily blooms so abundantly that it fills the pot. It is extremely easy to cultivate and about as easy to grow as traditional green plants such as pothos and spider plant. Unlike other hybrid orchids, this cultivar has a rich, overflowing fragrance. Placed indoors, it can be enjoyed for its flowers and its scent, and it is often kept as a potted plant for the Lunar New Year.