How to prepare growing media for tropical orchids
Tropical orchids are epiphytes and cannot grow in soil, so an acidic growing medium must be prepared artificially for their cultivation. Tropical orchids can also be grown using sphagnum moss alone. During care, do not apply organic fertilizers; you can water with or spray the leaves with a 1200-fold dilution of ammonium sulfate and monopotassium phosphate to supplement nutrients
Tropical orchids are epiphytes and cannot grow in soil, so an acidic growing medium must be prepared artificially for their cultivation.
Tropical orchids can also be grown using sphagnum moss alone. During care, do not apply organic fertilizers; you can water with or spray the leaves with a 1200-fold dilution of ammonium sulfate and monopotassium phosphate to supplement nutrients; it can also be made into a 2000-fold dilution and injected into the rhizome or pseudobulb with a syringe, for a more pronounced effect.
How do you prepare growing media for tropical orchids?
How do you prepare growing media for tropical orchids?
Tropical orchids are epiphytes and cannot grow in soil, so an acidic growing medium must be prepared artificially for their cultivation. The mixing ratios are listed below
Tropical orchids can also be grown using sphagnum moss alone. During care, do not apply organic fertilizers; you can water with or spray the leaves with a 1200-fold dilution of ammonium sulfate and monopotassium phosphate to supplement nutrients; it can also be made into a 2000-fold dilution and injected into the rhizome or pseudobulb with a syringe, for a more pronounced effect.
Orchid Cymbidium Orchid Illustrated Guide: How to grow orchids / How to propagate orchids
Orchid profileOrchid Cymbidium
Aliases: Hujihua, Chinese orchid, Zhilan
Classification: Orchidaceae flowering plants
Family and genus: Plantae, Angiosperms, Monocotyledons, Asparagales, Orchidaceae, Cymbidium
Peak flowering season: All four seasons
Orchid (scientific name: Orchidaceae), belonging to the family Orchidaceae, is a monocotyledonous, perennial herbaceous plant, also called Hujihua. Because most varieties of terrestrial orchids originate from China, orchids are also called Chinese orchids. The roots are long and tubular, the leaves cluster from the stem, linear-lanceolate, 2 to 3 leaves per tuft. The roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds of orchids all have certain medicinal value. The orchid is a flower known for its fragrance, with the qualities of purity and elegance. Notable figures past and present have held it in very high regard, and it is likened to the gentleman among flowers. Among ancient literati, the beauty of poetry and prose was often compared to "orchid chapters," true friendship to "orchid bonds," and good friends to "orchid guests."...
Orchid growing methods and precautions Orchid introduction
Orchid (scientific name: Orchidaceae), belonging to the family Orchidaceae, is a monocotyledonous, perennial herbaceous plant, also called Hujihua. Because most varieties of terrestrial orchids originate from China, orchids are also called Chinese orchids. The roots are long and tubular, the leaves cluster from the stem, linear-lanceolate, 2 to 3 leaves per tuft. The roots, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds of orchids all have certain medicinal value. The orchid is a flower known for its fragrance, with the qualities of purity and elegance. Notable figures past and present have held it in very high regard, and it is likened to the gentleman among flowers. Among ancient literati, the beauty of poetry and prose was often compared to "orchid chapters," true friendship to "orchid bonds," and good friends to "orchid guests."
The orchid is one of China's top ten famous flowers, loved by all. It has a pleasant fragrance: "By the roadside grass tufts grows the orchid, revealing no grace nor splendor; only when its subtle fragrance soothes the heart does one realize a rare bloom hides in the garden." This orchid that gives off a subtle fragrance has long been favored by people.
The alluring and mysterious subtle fragrance of the orchid cannot be matched by the scent of any other flower in the world. Whether it is the delicate fragrance of Cymbidium faberi, the strong fragrance of Cymbidium goeringii, the osmanthus-like scent of certain Cymbidium ensifolium, or the sandalwood-like scent of certain Cymbidium sinense, they all share one common trait: clear and subtle.
Orchids are often used for tea. Orchid tea has a emerald-green color, visible silvery tips, a clear liquor, and a pure, mellow taste; it smells of pleasant orchid fragrance and has a sweet aftertaste when drunk, and can stand alongside famous teas such as Huangshan Maofeng and Taiping Houkui. If you want to store orchids for a long time, you can cut the orchids, dry them, and mix them into tea leaves for later use. Take a small amount, pour in boiling water, steep for a short while, and it is ready to drink. The floral fragrance of orchids comes from the volatile oils secreted by the aromatic oil glands within the column of the orchid flower. Due to the plant's physiological processes, the secretion of these volatile oils may be intermittent, so people perceive the fragrance as sometimes present and sometimes absent, faintly visible, or light or strong. The main chemical components of these volatile oils are mixtures of esters or lactones of organic compounds and terpenoid enols, enal-ketone compounds, and the like.
Morphological characteristics of orchids
The orchid is a perennial herbaceous plant. The roots are fleshy and thickened, without root hairs, and have symbiotic fungi. It has pseudobulbs, commonly called lu tou, covered externally with leaf sheaths, often connected with multiple pseudobulbs, existing in rows simultaneously. The leaves are linear or sword-shaped, leathery, upright or drooping; the flowers are solitary or in racemes, with many bracts borne on the pedicel. The flowers are bisexual and fragrant. The corolla consists of 3 sepals, 3 petals, and the column. The middle sepal is called the main petal. The lower 2 are the lateral sepals, and the extent of the lateral sepals' spread is called hu. The upper 2 petals are upright, relatively thick and fleshy, with the apex curling inward, commonly called pong. Bilateral symmetry, the labellum, pollinia, and the gynostemium are the basic characteristics of Orchidaceae plants: the characteristic of pollen forming into masses has some exceptions; except for the subfamilies Apostasioideae and Cypripedioideae, which lack them, most other orchid plants also have a pollinium stalk. The ancients regarded "one stem with one flower as lan," and one stem with many flowers as hui.
Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi are divided, according to differences and changes in the shape and texture of their main petal, lateral sepals, pong, and lip, into plum petal, narcissus petal, lotus petal, butterfly petal, rare varieties, and plain-heart types, etc. Plum petal: the sepals are short and round, relatively thick and fleshy, slightly curved inward, with a narrow base; the lip is short and hard; the pong petals are thick and fleshy with the apex curving inward to form a pouch; the flower faces slightly upward when first opening. Famous varieties include Song Mei, Xishen Mei, and others. Narcissus petal: the sepals are slightly longer than those of plum petal, with the apex gradually pointed; the pong petals are thick in texture, with the apex also forming a pouch; the lip droops slightly or curls back. Famous varieties include Wang Zi, Cui Yipin, and others. Tea petal: the sepals are broad and large, thick in texture, narrow at the base, wide at the apex with a protruding tip; the pong petals do not form a pouch; the lip is relatively smooth and slightly curled back. Famous varieties include Da Fugui, Cui Gaihua, and others.
Butterfly petal: the inner side of the two downward-facing sepals becomes thicker in texture, forming wavy wrinkles, and has red patches; sometimes the number of sepals or petals suddenly increases (such as in Lyu Yun, whose corolla often has around 8 pieces), or the flower shape has special changes. Plain heart: the perianth, flower stem, and bracts are the same color, pure green, yellow-green, etc., without mottled patterns of other colors; famous and precious varieties include Zhang He Su, Lao Wen Tuan Su, and others.
Ecological habits of orchids
Orchids like shade and fear direct sunlight, like moisture and avoid dryness, and like fertile environments rich in humus with good air circulation. Therefore, the growing medium requirements are: well aerated, loose and soft, good drainage, and slightly acidic. The most commonly used medium for outdoor cultivation is mud flower soil. The climate and environment of each place can affect the growth of orchids, so the choice of growing medium differs. For example, in the Minnan area of Fujian, the weather is warmer in all four seasons and does not get too cold, so orchids grow quickly, and small pebbles are suitable for planting: first, it saves resources. Second, pebbles facilitate ventilation and do not retain water. Orchids grow well when the relative air humidity is 60-70%; too dry or too wet can easily trigger orchid diseases.
Controlling water is the most fundamental condition for growing orchids well. Orchid leaves are relatively thick in texture, with a cuticle on the surface for protection, so orchid leaves do not consume a large amount of water. The pseudobulbs and fleshy roots of orchids can store a certain amount of nutrients and water, so they are relatively drought-tolerant. Except during the root-forming and sprouting stages and the rapid growth period, when more water is needed, at other times they consume less water. If there is too much water, causing waterlogging in the soil and blocking root respiration, root rot readily occurs. Too much water also causes the cell walls of orchid leaves to become water-filled, opening the leaf stomata, resulting in diluted nutrient content, and further causing weak tissues, poor growth, and disease. Orchids like rain but fear waterlogging, like moisture but fear wetness. Because air humidity differs in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and orchid growth rates differ, the water requirements also differ. Accordingly, there is a saying that whether you can grow orchids depends mainly on whether you can water them.
Orchids prefer a light regimen; when fertilizing, it is better to under-fertilize than over-fertilize. Like other plants, nitrogen promotes lush growth of stems and leaves. Phosphorus promotes well-developed orchid roots, promotes robust development of reproductive organs, and spreads the stems and leaves. Magnesium, sulfur, iron, and other trace elements can make leaves green and flowers strong. During the vigorous growth period, orchids should be fertilized more; during the dormant period or weak growth period, fertilization may be omitted. If fertilized excessively, it will burn the roots and leaves, causing irreparable losses.
There is also zhilan, used as a metaphor for fragrant grass.
Cultivation techniques for orchids
We Chinese have been viewing and cultivating orchids far earlier than the Western cultivation of tropical orchids. As early as the Spring and Autumn period, 2,400 years ago, the Chinese cultural sage Confucius once said: "Zhilan grows in a secluded valley, yet does not cease to be fragrant because no one is there; a gentleman cultivates the Way and establishes virtue, and does not change his integrity because of poverty."
Lan, is fragrant grass. -- Shuowen
Heng lan zhi ruo. -- Book of Han, Biography of Sima Xiangru
The root of lan huai is called zhi. -- Xunzi, Encouraging Learning
The root of the Chinese orchid is white angelica, and white angelica symbolizes the common people. Hui and zhi have been the essence of the traditional virtues of benevolence, righteousness, and civil governance since ancient times. The great Tang poet Li Bai wrote, "The secluded orchid's fragrant wind travels far; the hui grass spreads its fragrant roots." The roots of Cymbidium faberi are with the people.
When planting, the divided orchid clumps should not be split too sparsely; each clump should have at least 3 to 5 shoots, and it is best to keep one-year-old plants, two-year-old plants, and three-year-old plants in the same clump.
Pot padding
Cover the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot with a piece of tile, then gradually fill with bricks, tiles, or shells, filling the large gaps with mud pellets or pea gravel; generally about 1/2 to 1/3 of the pot's interior height. The remaining clear height above is about 10 to 15 cm, reserved for the growing medium layer. Its specific height should be determined according to the orchid species, the length of the orchid roots, and the height of the pot. The padding material should not be packed too densely; some gaps should be retained. Practice has shown that some new roots can grow well in the gaps of the padding layer.
Planting
On top of the padding layer, first fill in 2 to 3 cm of growing medium, press it lightly with your hand, and then place the orchid upright on it. Depending on the plant and pot size, you can plant several individual plants, 2 clumps, 3 clumps, or more clumps in one pot. Three clumps are best arranged in a tripod formation. Four clumps can be arranged in a square, and five clumps are best arranged in a plum-blossom pattern. The orchid roots should spread naturally, and the leaves should spread out in all directions. Slowly place the orchid roots into the pot so that the roots spread naturally and, as much as possible, do not rub against the inner wall of the pot. After the orchid plant is in the pot, gradually fix its posture. For one clump per pot, the old pseudobulbs should be placed to one side so that new shoots have room to develop. For several clumps per pot, the old pseudobulbs of each clump should be gathered relatively toward the middle of the pot so that new roots and new shoots have enough space to develop outward.
Filling with medium
When planting, hold the leaves with one hand and add growing medium with the other, holding the base of the orchid plant and lifting it slightly upward to spread the root system, while shaking the pot. Let the growing medium work deep into the root zone; continue adding medium and shaking the pot to adjust the position and height of the orchid plant. Press along the edge of the pot with your hand, but never too hard or you will damage the roots. Continue adding medium and pressing until the soil surface is 2 to 3 cm above the pot rim, slightly in a steamed-bun shape. The growing medium should cover all the orchid roots, burying up to the base of the pseudobulbs. As for the depth of filling, tradition holds that Cymbidium goeringii should be planted shallow and Cymbidium faberi deep, but generally the standard is not to bury the leaf bases on the pseudobulbs. New orchid growth in the wild leaves obvious markers above and below the soil surface on the plant, and these markers can be used as the standard. The size of the pot should also match the size and number of the plants; do not use a large pot for small and few plants, nor a small pot for large and many plants. Generally, the number of plants should be such that the pot is just filled after an expected 2 to 3 years. The size of the plants should match the height of the pot. This is both beneficial for growth and meets ornamental requirements.
Top dressing
After planting is completed, spread a layer of small gravel or green moss on the surface of the pot soil, preferably high-quality moss from under the forest. It is both attractive and can regulate moisture; it can also protect the leaf surface from being polluted by muddy water, and prevent new shoots from being infected by pathogens in the soil and rotting at the heart; in addition, it can reduce the washing effect of rainwater on the pot soil and keep the pot soil loose.
Watering
After planting is completed, water thoroughly the first time, making sure the pot soil is soaked through; the water droplets should be small, and the force should not be strong. If placing the pot in a water basin to soak, never soak for too long. Once the pot soil is soaked, immediately take the orchid pot out, then move it to a shaded place for care.
Watering orchid plants should be based on various natural factors affecting transpiration, such as humidity, temperature, light, wind, season, and weather, so as to adopt different water management measures.
First, look at humidity. If the air humidity is low and transpiration is strong, water more; conversely, if the air humidity is high or even saturated and transpiration almost stops, water less or not at all.
Second, look at temperature. When the temperature is high, transpiration accelerates and water demand is greater, so the frequency of watering should increase accordingly; conversely, when the temperature is low, water molecules move slowly and diffusion is weak, so less water is needed.
Third, look at light. Strong light accelerates transpiration and the diffusion of water molecules, so more water is needed; conversely, less water is needed. Therefore, with different light and different shading levels, water management also differs: water more for those receiving sun, and less for those facing away from the sun.
Fourth, look at wind. Strong wind evaporates water quickly; weak wind evaporates water slowly; a dry southwest wind increases evaporation, while a humid southeast wind relatively weakens transpiration; orchid pots placed in a wind inlet are exposed to more wind and evaporate water quickly, while pots in a sheltered place receive less wind and evaporate water slowly.
Fifth, look at the season. Different seasons have different temperatures, humidity, and light, and the transpiration of orchid plants also differs greatly. In the hot, dry summer, water more; in the plum rain season, water less or not at all; in the low-temperature, overcast, cold winter, do not water; in early spring when the temperature is relatively low, water less; in late spring when the climate is mild and it is the sprouting period, water more; in the dry autumn, water more.
Sixth, look at the weather. Natural weather changes unpredictably; under different weather, light, temperature, and humidity all differ, and orchid transpiration also varies greatly. The basic approach is: water more on sunny days, less on cloudy days, do not water much when rain is imminent, and do not water on rainy (or snowy) days.
Test-tube cultivation
With the continuous development of orchid tissue culture techniques and aseptic sowing techniques, the phenomenon of orchids flowering in test tubes is receiving increasing attention. The main reason this phenomenon attracts the attention of breeders is that artificially hybridized new varieties that originally required many years of conventional cultivation to flower can, in test tubes, be artificially induced to flower through 1 to 2 culture cycles. In this way, individuals with excellent traits can be selected purposefully according to flowering conditions, and relatively poor individuals can be eliminated, thereby shortening the entire breeding cycle and greatly reducing the workload of cultivating large numbers of varieties that have not yet flowered, making breeding work more targeted.
Because we have long been engaged in the development and research of several conventionally cultivated terrestrial orchid species in the genus Cymbidium, the orchids mentioned below all refer to these few orchid species, including Cymbidium goeringii, Cymbidium ensifolium, Cymbidium goeringii var. longibracteatum, Cymbidium tortisepalum, Cymbidium faberi, Cymbidium kanran, and others.
According to observations, the ways orchids flower in test tubes can be roughly divided into three types. The first type is when the axillary buds of the orchid seedling develop into flower buds; this way is the same as the flowering method of orchids in conventional cultivation, except that in conventional cultivation it is a clump of seedlings that flowers, while in test tubes it is a single seedling that flowers. This situation is relatively common in Cymbidium ensifolium, and relatively rare in varieties such as Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium goeringii var. longibracteatum. The second type is when the terminal bud of the orchid seedling develops into a flower bud, similar to what is commonly called "arrow in the grass" (heart arrow); the flower grows from the very center of the orchid seedling. This situation occurs in all orchid species, especially commonly in Cymbidium goeringii. The third type is when the flower bud differentiates directly from the apex of the protocorm; this type is completely controlled by the hormone levels in the medium, flowers quickly and uniformly, and has a high differentiation frequency, and is the main induction method for flowering.
Another convenience brought by orchids flowering in test tubes is that it makes in-bottle hybridization of orchids possible, which is a completely new applied research field. Some breeding work requires repeated hybridization, backcrossing, and selfing to achieve the breeding goal and select excellent new varieties. For example, in the hybridization of plain-heart varieties and plum-petal varieties, the first filial generation is usually plum-petal but definitely not plain-heart, so it is necessary to backcross the first filial generation once with the plain-heart parent, or self the first filial generation once, and then select plain-heart plum-petal from the second filial generation. Using conventional methods, this process would definitely take more than ten years. Now that we have a method to induce orchids to flower in test tubes, we can let the first filial generation flower in the test tube, and perform self-pollination or cross-pollination between first filial generation plants in the test tube, and cultivate seeds. These seeds can be sown directly on the medium without disinfection to obtain the second filial generation, and then induced to flower, so the desired variety can be selected from the second filial generation. Compared with conventional methods, this process can save at least two cultivation cycles from bottle seedling to flowering.
Propagation methods for orchids
Orchids are commonly propagated by division, sowing, and tissue culture.
Division propagation: This can be done in both spring and autumn, generally once every three years. Any plant that grows robustly and has densely clustered pseudobulbs can be divided; after division, each clump should retain at least 5 pseudobulbs connected together. Before division, reduce watering so that the pot soil is relatively dry. When potting after division, first cover the bottom hole of the pot with broken tiles, then spread coarse gravel to occupy 1/5 to 1/4 of the pot depth, then place coarse-grained soil and a small amount of fine soil, and then plant using sandy loam rich in humus. The planting depth should be such that the pseudobulbs are just buried in the soil, leaving a 2 cm rim at the edge of the pot, topping with Selaginella uncinata or fine gravel, and finally watering thoroughly. Place in a shaded place for 10 to 15 days, keep the soil moist, gradually reduce watering, and carry out normal care.
Sowing propagation: Orchid seeds are extremely fine; the seed contains only one incompletely developed embryo, and its germination capacity is very low. In addition, the seed coat does not easily absorb water, so sowing by conventional methods cannot germinate them; therefore, orchid fungi or artificial medium are needed to supply nutrients for germination. For sowing, it is best to select fruits that have not yet split. After sterilizing the surface with 75% alcohol, take out the seeds, soak them in 10% sodium hypochlorite for 5 to 10 minutes, take them out and rinse 3 times with sterile water, then sow them in culture bottles containing medium, and then place them in a dark culture room with the temperature maintained at around 25°C. After they begin to sprout, move them into the light and they can form protocorms. From sowing to transplanting takes half a year to one year. Tissue culture has already been successful, and where conditions permit, this method can be used for propagation.
Propagation techniques
Site selection: The surroundings should be open, well ventilated, close to water, with moist air and no coal smoke pollution. On the southwest side of the site, evergreen broadleaf trees can be planted, with a canopy density of about 0.7; this can reduce afternoon sunlight and regulate humidity and temperature.
Watering: Rainwater or spring water is preferable; do not use water containing salt or alkali. If using tap water, let it stand for several days before use. Watering should depend on the temperature: in spring, water less; in summer, water more; during the plum rain season, which is when orchids send out leaf buds, the pot soil should be slightly dry; after autumn when the weather turns cool, reduce the amount of watering and just keep it moist. In winter indoors it should be dry, reduce the frequency of watering, and it is best to water at noon. Orchids can be exposed to light rain, but continuous rain or heavy rain can easily cause heart rot and leaf rot, so attention must be paid to rain protection.
Fertilizing: For planting orchids, cake fertilizer is suitable. Mix 4 parts plant ash, 10 parts soybean cake, and 10 parts bone meal evenly, place in a vat, add water several times until the soybean cake is soaked through, then cover and seal, let it decompose for one year, and then make it into dry granules. When using, place it on the pot surface. If using whole manure, it should also be decomposed for one year, diluted with water, and the residue filtered out before use. Generally, fertilizing starts in May and stops at the beginning of autumn, following the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently. Fertilizing should be done in the evening, and the next morning water once with clear water.
Shading and cold protection: Except in early spring and winter, orchids should be placed under an open-air shed. The shade shed should be well ventilated. When orchids are first brought out in March to April, they can get more sun, and afterward the shading time gradually increases. In winter, orchids must be moved indoors for cold protection, with the room temperature maintained at 1 to 2°C. In addition, after orchids are brought out in spring and before they are brought in in autumn, attention should be paid to frost protection.
Precautions
Wounds must be protected from bacteria -- when repotting or dividing, if the roots have wounds, first apply fungicide to the wounds to prevent pathogens from invading.
Do not use too large a pot -- planting a small plant in a large pot uses a lot of growing medium, easily leading to poor aeration, and watering is also hard to control. If too much water is absorbed, the growing medium does not dry easily, and bacteria invade and cause root rot.
Orchids should be planted shallowly -- orchid plants must not be planted too deep, otherwise long-term moisture will cause rot. When planting, fill the growing medium around the roots, and the base or pseudobulbs must be exposed.
The roots must be spread out -- when planting orchids, the roots should be evenly spread out and must not be pressed together, so that each root can contact the growing medium and ventilation is also good.
Do not water for several days -- newly planted orchids may have injured roots; after the wounds are coated with fungicide, do not water for 3 to 5 days, so the fungicide can take effect and also promote the growth of new shoots and new roots.
Avoid strong light -- newly planted orchids must avoid direct strong light to prevent dehydration, and should be placed in a warm, shaded place. You can use misting to increase air humidity until the orchids return to normal growth.
Leaves turning yellow
This is generally root rot or hollowed-out roots. It is necessary to improve watering and change the environmental humidity and light intensity.
Another cause of orchid leaves turning yellow is normal grass decline, because it is exactly the sprouting period, and with metabolism, nutrients cannot keep up; the old shoots decline and leave nutrients for the new shoots to grow. However, other causes cannot be ruled out, such as root rot, soft rot, and stem rot. These require frequent observation, and once discovered, decisive treatment is needed, otherwise the whole plant may be lost.
Distribution and collection
Collecting wild orchids in the mountains is of great significance for discovering new varieties and selecting excellent hybrid parents. During collection, consideration should be given to choosing the flowering period, improving the survival rate, the local climate, and the local orchid soil's wetness or dryness. Factors such as different growing environments in different places should also be considered, while also paying attention to safety, fire prevention, not straying into restricted areas, and keeping good collection records.
In the process of orchid cultivation and business, due to the frenzied speculation by orchid traders on some novel orchid varieties, the prices of orchids once rose abnormally, and "sky-high-priced orchids" kept appearing. Driven by huge economic interests, large-scale destructive collection of wild orchid resources appeared, and many wild orchid habitats were extremely damaged. For this reason, the state adopted protective measures such as establishing no-collection reserves, establishing variety protection levels, improving legislation on wild resources, and strictly punishing illegal collectors.
From the perspective of long-term, effective use of orchid resources and respect for and advocacy of environmental protection, orchid enthusiasts should establish a scientific, reasonable, environmentally friendly, and law-abiding awareness of orchid collection.
City flower of Guiyang, city flower of Shaoxing, and provincial flower of Zhejiang. During the period of the Republic of China, the Nanjing Special Municipal Government issued an order making the orchid the city flower of Nanjing.
Cold regions
If you want to grow orchids well in northern regions, you should create environmental conditions suitable for their growth and development as much as possible, and meet the requirements of the orchid's biological characteristics, so that they can grow and flower well. Specifically, the following tasks should be done well.
1. Choose good pots and growing medium
For ordinary home orchid growing, it is still better to choose clay pots. If you want to increase the decorative effect and add beauty, you can put a colored-glazed porcelain pot outside the clay pot. The size of the pot should be such that the orchid roots can fully spread out inside the pot. For the pot soil, orchid mud is best. It can also be prepared yourself. You can use 6 parts leaf mold or peat soil, 3 parts sandy soil, and 1 part cake fertilizer, or use 5 parts leaf mold, 3 parts compost soil, and 2 parts coarse sand, mixed evenly. For the potting method, see: Common knowledge for purchasing orchids and cultivation techniques.
2. Apply thin fertilizer skillfully
When fertilizing orchids, apply thin fertilizer and never apply strong fertilizer. There is a saying: "Clear orchids, turbid jasmine." Newly planted orchid plants should not be fertilized in the first year; start fertilizing after Qingming in the second year, until the beginning of autumn. You can apply fully decomposed dilute cake fertilizer water 1 to 2 times a month. Because orchids have fleshy roots, never apply undecomposed fertilizer, to avoid root rot. Before each fertilization, control water for 1 to 2 days, and apply after the pot soil is slightly dry. On the morning of the second day after application, water once to prevent unclean matter in the fertilizer liquid from polluting the root system and harming the orchid roots. When applying liquid fertilizer, be careful to avoid splashing and staining the leaves. For orchid plants that have been cultivated for several years and have reached flowering age, in the early stage, mainly apply nitrogen fertilizer to promote new shoot sprouting and rapid growth; in the later stage, mainly apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which helps the pseudobulbs enlarge, the leaves become wide and thick, and provides sufficient nutrients for flower bud differentiation. Specifically, before flower bud differentiation each autumn, it is advisable to apply a liquid fertilizer mainly of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer twice in succession; during the bud stage, on a clear evening, first wash the leaves with clear water, and after they dry, use a small sprayer to spray a 0.2% monopotassium phosphate solution on the leaf surface and underside, or apply plant ash water to the roots. Foliar fertilization at this time is beneficial for promoting the development of orchid roots, stems, and flowers. Do not fertilize on rainy days, and stop fertilizing during the winter dormant period. About 20 days after the flowers fade, apply twice more liquid fertilizer mainly of nitrogen fertilizer or compound chemical fertilizer, which can promote plant growth.[6]
3. Light should be appropriate
Orchids like shaded, cool environments and fear direct sunlight. Therefore, in the north, from April to early May, they can get a little more sunlight before 9 a.m.; after mid-May, shading is needed, and at this time they should be placed in a cool, ventilated place for cultivation. In winter, place them near a south-facing window to receive more light, so as to enhance their vitality and promote flower bud differentiation. Especially for Cymbidium sinense and Cymbidium kanran, which bloom in winter, they should be placed indoors in a sunny spot in winter; without light they will not flower well.[6] In short, growing orchids should follow "do not take them out in spring, do not expose them to the sun in summer, do not let them dry out in autumn, do not keep them wet in winter," meaning: in spring, guard against cold wind invasion and do not move them outdoors; in summer, they fear direct sunlight, so place them in a cool, ventilated place; in autumn, guard against the pot soil drying out, as this is the orchid's bud stage, so watering should be appropriately increased; in winter, they are in a dormant state, and too much water easily causes root rot, so follow the principle of alternating dry and wet.
Orchid disease control The main pests and diseases of orchids include：
Southern blight: Mostly occurs in the plum rain season. Prevention should focus on ventilation and light transmission and good drainage of the pot soil. After onset, remove the infected pot soil and sprinkle on pentachloronitrobenzene powder or lime.
Anthracnose: Present year-round, and more rampant in hot, rainy seasons. In addition to improving environmental conditions, during the onset period you can first spray with a 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 800- to 1500-fold dilution, once every 7 to 10 days, and then supplement with 1% Bordeaux mixture of equal amounts, once every half month.
Scale insects: They reproduce fastest under conditions of high temperature, high humidity, and poor air movement. Use conventional control methods.
Root rot is also called nematode disease. Nematodes parasitize orchid roots, causing root rot, poor growth of aboveground leaves, leaf color fading and yellowing, and even plant wilting. Nematode damage causes many wounds and also invites infection by other soil-borne pathogens, causing plant disease and accelerating plant death. The growing medium should be disinfected; it can be sterilized with 100°C steam to kill eggs. For severe damage, repot immediately, soak the diseased plant in the medicinal solution for 20 to 30 minutes, take it out and dry it, and replant with new medium.
In summary, to grow orchids well, you must master their natural growing environment conditions, take reasonable measures, and strengthen care and management. According to the "Orchid Growing Formula," "do not take them out in spring, do not expose them to the sun in summer, do not let them dry out in autumn, do not keep them wet in winter" -- this is a summary of China's orchid-growing experience.
Pollution-free methods for pest and disease control：
Below are some folk small remedies for pollution-free control of orchid pests and diseases. "Small" remedies can perhaps sometimes solve "big" problems, so orchid enthusiasts might as well give them a try.
1. Tea bran
Tea bran, also called tea cake or tea seed cake, is the residue left after tea seeds are pressed for oil, and farmers often use it to wash clothes. Tea bran contains saponins and glycosides, and its water extract is alkaline, with very good stomach-poison and contact-killing effects on pests.
Control methods:
Soak crushed powdered tea bran and boiling water at a ratio of 1:5 for a day and a night, then use it to drench orchid pots, and at the same time drench the place where the orchid pots are placed and other orchid pots; it has a relatively good control effect on snails.
Spraying orchid plants with tea bran water has a very good control effect on aphids and red spider mites, reaching more than 90%.
Tea bran water can also kill earthworms. Drench the pot soil thoroughly with tea bran water, and after a short while the earthworms will emerge from the soil surface; pick them out and remove them. Opinions differ in orchid circles on whether earthworms help or harm orchids. One view holds that earthworms in the pot damage some orchid fungal hyphae during activity and injure the root tips of orchid roots, so they are pests and must be removed. Another view holds that earthworms in orchid pots can eat much of the decaying matter in the pot and the rotten orchid roots; the activity of earthworms can loosen the soil, and their droppings can also serve as fertilizer for orchids, so their merits outweigh their faults and they need not be killed. Which is right and which is wrong remains for orchid enthusiasts to judge according to their own practical observations, weighing the pros and cons.
2. Strong-smelling vegetables (scallions, garlic, chives, ginger, onions, etc.)
Strong-smelling vegetables each have their own distinct odor, and their smell can play a role in killing insects and sterilizing.
Control methods:
Take 25 g of garlic, crush it and squeeze out the juice, dilute it in 10 L of water, and immediately spray the orchid plants; it can control aphids, red spider mites, scale insects, and gray mold. Press peeled garlic into small pieces and place them at equal distances on the surface soil of the orchid pot; after a few days, earthworms and ants will disappear.
Soak chopped scallions and water at a ratio of 1:30 for a day and a night, then filter, and use the liquid to spray orchid plants several times a day for several consecutive days; it has good effects on controlling aphids, soft-bodied pests, and powdery mildew.
Use 1 jin of ginger, add half a jin of water, crush and extract the juice, add 6 jin of water per jin of juice, and spray orchid plants; it can control aphids.
Mix chive juice and clear water at a ratio of 1:60, use it to spray orchid plants 2 times a day, repeating for several days; it can cure black spot disease.
Take 15 g of chopped onion bulbs, place them in 2 jin of water, seal and soak for 7 hours, then filter, and use the filtrate to spray orchid plants; it can control red spider mites and aphids.
3. Cigarette butts
Tobacco leaves contain about 3% nicotine. Nicotine has strong contact-killing and stomach-poison effects on pests. Take about 20 smoked cigarette butts and one portion of quicklime, add water, stir, soak, and filter, then add 30 portions of water, and use it to spray orchid plants, pot soil, and the bottom of the pot; it can eliminate ants and other pests without a waxy coating on their bodies.
4. Laundry detergent and detergent
Laundry detergent can dissolve the cornea of scale insects, and at the same time form a layer of foam wrapping the insect body, causing the scale insects to suffocate to death. Laundry detergent solution can control some pests and diseases.
Control methods:
Dissolve a small amount of laundry detergent in warm water, then dilute with water to a 1000-fold solution, and spray orchid plants; it can kill aphids, whiteflies, and red spider mites. Dilute to a 600-fold solution, spray once every three days, for three consecutive sprays, and all scale insects will die.
Mix pig bitter bile and clear water at a ratio of 1:100, and add a small amount of laundry detergent, then use it to spray orchid plants; it can control anthracnose and soft rot. After spraying orchid plants with laundry detergent solution, once the pests are dead, the leaves must be rinsed several times with clear water so that the orchid plants can grow normally.
V. Baijiu (Chinese liquor)
Mix baijiu and water at a ratio of 1:2, spray the orchid plants once a week for three consecutive sprays to kill scale insects.
VI. Orange peel
Place orange peel at the bottom of the pot to prevent ants and other pests from entering the potting soil and harming the orchids. You can also cut orange peel into small pieces and scatter them on the surface of the potting soil, then refrain from watering for a few days, to control aphids, scale insects and the like.
VII. Brown sugar
Mix powdered brown sugar and boiling water at a ratio of 1:100; after it cools, spray the orchid plants with the brown sugar solution once every 3 days for three consecutive applications. It has a fairly good effect on preventing and controlling downy mildew, powdery mildew, black spot and leaf blight.
VIII. Diesel oil
Mix diesel oil and water at a ratio of 1:60 to make an emulsion, then dilute it with 100 times water and spray the orchid plants to control scale insects and the like.
IX. Plant ash
Soak plant ash and water at a ratio of 1:50 for two days and nights, then filter. Spray the orchid plants with the filtrate; it can both control aphids and increase potassium fertilizer.
X. Table vinegar
Mix table vinegar and clean water at a ratio of 1:8, and use it to evenly spray the front and back of orchid leaves to control scale insects. If the scale insects have already become adults, the acidity of the mixture can be slightly increased, spraying once every three days for three consecutive applications, and the adult scale insects will be killed. Spraying vinegar solution on the leaf surface can also eliminate black spot, powdery mildew, leaf spot, yellowing disease and so on. Industrial acid vinegar must not be used.
Orchid cultivation methods: spring care
Spring has many overcast and rainy days, with relatively large temperature fluctuations and frequent cold waves. If orchids are not properly cared for and managed, root rot and bud rot can occur, seriously affecting their normal growth.
Household balcony-type orchid-growing sites should have cold-proof and rain-proof facilities. Cymbidium sinense (Baosui orchid) and Cymbidium goeringii (Chunlan) must be placed indoors for protection and management. Cymbidium ensifolium (Jianlan) and Cymbidium kanran (Hanlan) can be placed outdoors, but attention must be paid to drainage and moisture prevention in the orchid pots. It is best to set up plastic film above the orchid pots to shield them from rain, pulling it open on sunny days and closing it when it rains, to prevent cold winds, cold rain, frost and snow from attacking.
When growing orchids, ventilation must be well managed in every respect. For orchid seedlings in greenhouses and warm sheds, exhaust fans should be installed to exchange the air and regulate humidity. For ordinary simple warm sheds and low ground-planted sheds covered with plastic film for freeze protection and rain shielding, windows should also be opened frequently or part of the film lifted to allow air convection, ensuring fresh air and moderate temperature inside the shed.
After the Spring Festival, cut off the flower stalks of Cymbidium sinense and others; do not let them set seed. Use 0.1% omethoate or dichlorvos solution to gently wipe the upper and lower surfaces of orchid leaves, and use sterilizing agents and insecticidal agents to spray the balcony where orchids are grown, the surrounding area and the potted orchids once every 7 days and 10 days respectively. Two hours after applying the insecticidal agent, spray the leaf surfaces of the potted orchids once with clean water to remove residual pesticide.
Stop watering 3-5 days before dividing orchid pots. When the potting medium is about 70-80% dry, carefully tip out the orchid plants together with the medium, trying as much as possible not to break the orchid roots. Wash them with disinfectant water or clean water and let them dry; wait until the orchid roots become soft and whitish before repotting. Use sterile new potting medium for repotting, placing the roots against the medium, with new shoots facing outward and old shoots facing inward, and leave one third of the orchid crown exposed above the soil surface. After planting, place them in a shade shed and mist the leaf surfaces morning and evening. After 24 hours, water thoroughly to settle the roots, and after 15 days move to normal management.
For orchids planted with new potting medium, apply a light, dilute fertilizer once every half month to one month. During the large-seedling and strong-seedling stage, apply nitrogen fertilizer frequently, once every three to five days. Rejuvenated orchids can be fertilized from once every half month to once a week, depending on whether the orchids can absorb it. However, weak plants, rootless plants and leafless pseudobulbs absolutely must be grown plainly and must not be given additional fertilizer; otherwise, haste makes waste and they will instead suffer harm.
Orchid distribution regions
Orchids are world-famous flowers. Chinese orchids have more than 15,000 varieties. In Asia, Chinese orchids are Cymbidium faberi; in Oceania and Africa, most are Cymbidium; Singapore has Vanda; Finland has lily of the valley; Yugoslavia has lily of the valley; Seychelles has Yucca; Zimbabwe has Gloriosa; South American countries have designated national orchids: Brazil has Cattleya, Costa Rica has Cattleya. Ecuador and Guatemala both have Cattleya, Colombia has Cattleya, and Ecuador has white magnolia.
Because most varieties of terrestrial orchids originate in China, orchids are also called Chinese orchids and are listed first among China's top ten famous flowers. In China, apart from North China, Northeast China, and Ningxia, Qinghai and ** in the Northwest, every province and region has different species of Cymbidium plants. Generally speaking, terrestrial orchids mostly grow in temperate and subtropical regions, such as Jiangsu and Anhui; epiphytic orchids mostly grow in tropical and subtropical regions, such as Guangdong, Fujian and Taiwan, China.
Chinese orchids mainly fall into seven major categories: Cymbidium goeringii (Chunlan), Cymbidium faberi (Huilan), Cymbidium ensifolium (Jianlan), Cymbidium kanran (Hanlan), Cymbidium sinense (Molan), Cymbidium goeringii var. longibracteatum (Chunjian) and Cymbidium tortisepalum (Lianbanlan), with thousands of horticultural varieties.
Cymbidium goeringii (Chunlan) is also known as Caolan and Shanlan. Chunlan is widely distributed and rich in resources. Its flowering period is February to March of the year, and it can last about 1 month. The flowers have a rich and pure fragrance. Precious varieties include lotus, plum, narcissus and butterfly petal types in various colors. In terms of petal type, the famous varieties from Jiangsu and Zhejiang are the most typical.
Cymbidium faberi (Huilan) has thick and long roots, narrow strap-shaped leaves, a relatively rough and hard texture, and is grayish green, with obvious serrations along the leaf margins and a prominent midrib. Its flowering period is March to May. The flowers have a strong fragrance that spreads far and lasts long. Flower colors include yellow, white, green, light red and compound colors; most are colored flowers, and there are also plain flowers and butterfly flowers.
Cymbidium ensifolium (Jianlan) is also called Sijilan, including summer-flowering Xialan and Qiulan. Sijilan is robust and upright, with green leaves and abundant flowers, strong fragrance and beautiful blooms; it fears neither heat nor cold, has strong vitality and is easy to cultivate. Different varieties have different flowering periods, and flowers can be seen from May to December.
Cymbidium sinense (Molan), also known as Baosuilan, Baisuilan, Fengsuilan and so on, originated in China's Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, Taiwan, China, Hainan and other places. Orchid growers in various parts of southern China, especially Guangdong and Yunnan, most enjoy cultivating and appreciating it.
Cymbidium goeringii var. longibracteatum (Chunjian) is often called authentic Sichuan orchid. Although Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan all have famous varieties, the famous Sichuan orchid varieties are the most precious. Flower colors include red, yellow, white, green, purple, black and compound colors, gorgeous and dazzling, with a graceful appearance, elegant charm, strong fragrance and pure flavor, and it is often the first choice favored by orchid growers.
Cymbidium kanran (Hanlan) is distributed in Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong and the southwestern regions of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. Hanlan's leaves are more slender than those of Sijilan, especially narrower at the leaf base. Its leaf posture is elegant and unrestrained, and it is emerald green and delicate. There are large-, medium- and fine-leaf varieties as well as edged varieties. Flower colors are rich, including yellow, green, purple-red, deep purple and so on, generally with variegated veins and spots, and there are also clean, flawless plain flowers. The sepals and petals are relatively narrow and slender, with a distinctive style, delicate and lovely, and a fragrance that assails the senses.
Orchid variety classification
Variety identification is an appraisal of the overall qualities of an orchid and is the most skill-revealing discipline in orchid appreciation. Therefore, orchid masters through the ages have all been especially cautious about this, never drawing conclusions rashly, and have always followed the "three looks" principle.
Leaf shape
In the flowerless season, the main basis for identifying famous orchid varieties is to look at leaf shape, including leaf buds and plant form. The color of orchid buds when they emerge from the soil has a certain reference value for appreciating orchid varieties, and the bud stage requires careful observation. Generally speaking, if the new buds are white, white-green or green, Chunlan is usually a plain-heart variety, and Huilan is mostly plain-heart or green Huilan; if the bud tips have a white rice-grain-like "white peak," fine flowers may emerge.
Flower buds
Traditional famous orchid varieties not only have their own leaf-shape characteristics, but their flower buds are also full of distinctive features.
Therefore, when identifying them, people should look at both leaf shape and flower buds. Regarding the identification of flower buds, predecessors summarized the "nine forms and eight styles" of orchid and Huilan bud shapes and the "five gates and eight styles" of Huilan small bud arrangements. These precious experiences are of great benefit to us in identifying varieties and are worth thoroughly digesting and absorbing.
All things develop and change. In orchid appreciation practice, people have found that even for the same pot of orchids, the color of the flower buds is sometimes different in different years, or even within the same year. I have experienced this myself. After many years of observation, the flower buds of famous orchid and Huilan varieties I cultivate, such as Dafugui and Yuanzi, sometimes differ from year to year; in some years the bud color is deeper, and in others it is lighter.
Bloom quality
The most direct and effective way to identify orchid and Huilan varieties is to look at their bloom quality, which is also the main reason why introduced varieties should be introduced only when in flower. Generally speaking, as long as the bloom quality is up to standard, the variety can be identified once the flower is seen. But everything has its particularity, and the same orchid or Huilan variety often produces different bloom qualities depending on the cultivation method.
Special varieties
[Shaoxing orchid]
Shaoxing is one of the earliest places in China where orchids were planted and has long been called the "hometown of orchids." The Southern Song Baoding "Kuaiji Xu Zhi" records: "Lan, the Yuejue Shu says: Goujian planted orchids at Lanzhu Mountain. The old classic says: Lanzhu Mountain is the place where Goujian planted orchids." Lanzhu Mountain is in present-day Lizhu Lanting, and it is still famous at home and abroad for its abundant production of Chunlan. Shaoxing orchids are diverse in variety, and their flower shape, color and fragrance are all unique. With one branch in a room, a clear fragrance fills the air and refreshes the heart.
The Ming dynasty painter and calligrapher Xu Wei wrote in his poem "Orchid": "Do not be surprised that spring light does not belong to you; one fragrance alone is enough to surpass a thousand reds. Even if picked to perfume Han Niang's sleeves, it would not become the scent of musk in the mortal world." Traditional famous orchid varieties such as "Songmei," "Loumei," "Huanqiu Heding" and "Zandie" all come from Shaoxing. Shaoxing's rare variety "Lüyun" is a national-level protected rare resource. In 1959, a rare-petaled famous Shaoxing orchid was named "Zhongshan Hudiehe" by Beijing Zhongshan Park. In 1982, the Standing Committee of the Shaoxing Municipal People's Congress designated the orchid as the city flower of Shaoxing and established China's first orchid association, the Shaoxing Orchid Association.
[Chinese orchid Huilan]
Chinese orchid Huilan usually refers to a portion of terrestrial species among plants of the genus Cymbidium. The pseudobulbs are relatively small, the leaves are linear, and the roots are fleshy; the flower stalk is upright, with 1 to more than 10 flowers, which are small and fragrant, usually pale green with purple-red spots. Different species vary greatly in leaf and flower morphology and flowering period. It is produced south of the Qinling Mountains and in the southwestern regions. It has a long cultivation history of at least more than a thousand years and is one of China's ten traditional famous flowers. Since ancient times, people have regarded orchids as a symbol of nobility, elegance, patriotism and unyielding integrity.
It has formed an orchid culture with strong Chinese national characteristics. It is propagated by division, sowing or tissue culture. Pot cultivation uses humus soil and requires good aeration and drainage; it likes a semi-shaded and moist environment. The wintering temperature for Cymbidium sinense, Cymbidium ensifolium and Cymbidium kanran is about 10°C, and for the other several kinds about 5°C. What is called Chinese orchid today was called "Hui" in ancient times. Just as Huang Tingjian (1045-1105) of the Northern Song dynasty described orchids in "Youfang Pavilion": "One stem with one flower and more than enough fragrance is Lan; one stem with five or seven flowers and insufficient fragrance is Hui."
[Chinese orchid]
Confucius, in "Kongzi Jiayu: Zai E": Angelica and orchids grow in the forest, and do not cease to be fragrant because no one is there; a gentleman cultivates the Way and establishes virtue, and does not change his integrity because of poverty. The Song dynasty was the peak period in China's history of orchid appreciation, with numerous books and descriptions related to orchid appreciation. For example, Luo Yuan of the Song dynasty wrote in "Erya Yi": "The leaves of the orchid are like those of nutgrass, and it emerges in early spring.
Its flowers are very fragrant, and it mostly grows in forests. When a gentle breeze passes, its fragrance rises abundantly and reaches the outside, hence it is called Zhilan. Orchids in Jiangnan bloom only in spring, while those in Jingchu and Fujian bloom again in autumn and summer." Zhao Shigeng of the Southern Song dynasty wrote "Jinzhang Lanpu" in 1233, which can be said to be the earliest surviving work in China for studying orchids and also the world's first monograph on orchids. The whole book is divided into three volumes and five parts, briefly describing the morphological characteristics of more than 30 varieties of purple orchids (mainly Cymbidium sinense) and white orchids (that is, plain-heart Cymbidium ensifolium), and also discussing the grade of orchids. After "Jinzhang Lanpu," Wang Guixue wrote "Wangshi Lanpu" in 1247, which gave detailed descriptions of more than 30 orchid varieties.
In addition, the Song dynasty also had the book "Lanpu Aofa," which mainly describes cultivation methods and is divided into seven parts: division method, planting method, placement and watering method, watering method, fertilizing soil method for planting flowers, ant and louse removal method, and miscellaneous methods. As for the book "Zhongyi Biyong" by Wu Zan, it also introduced orchid cultivation. In 1256, "Quanfang Beizu" by Chen Jingyi gave a relatively detailed account of orchids. The complete engraved copy of this book was collected in the Japanese Imperial Palace Library, and in 1979 Japan returned a photocopy to China. In the Song dynasty, works entering Chinese painting with orchids as the theme included "Spring Orchid Painting" by Zhao Mengjian, considered the earliest surviving famous orchid painting, now treasured in the Palace Museum in Beijing.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, orchid appreciation entered a flourishing period. As orchid varieties continuously increased and cultivation experience became increasingly rich, orchid cultivation became an object of popular appreciation. At this time, there were relatively many books, painting albums, poetic lines and orchid patterns printed on porcelain and handicrafts describing orchids, such as Zhang Yingmin's "Luoli Zhai Lanpu" of the Ming dynasty and the orchid-related account in Gao Lian's "Zunsheng Bajian."
The Ming dynasty pharmacologist Li Shizhen's "Bencao Gangmu" gave a relatively complete discussion of the naming, categories and uses of orchids. The Qing dynasty also produced many monographs on orchid appreciation, such as the 1805 "Lanhui Tongxin Lu," written by a Mr. Xu of Jiaxing, Zhejiang, who was addicted to orchids, also good at painting orchids, and had rich experience in orchid appreciation. The book is in two volumes; volume one discusses knowledge of planting orchids, and volume two describes methods for identifying and classifying orchid varieties. The whole book records 57 varieties and includes his own line drawings. Others such as Yuan Shijun's "Lanyan Shulüe," Du Wenlan's "Yilan Si Shuo," Mao Xiang's "Lanyan," Zhu Kerou's "Diyi Xiang Biji," Tu Yongning's "Lanhui Jing," Zhang Guangzhao's "Xinglan Pu Lüe," Yue Liang's "Yanglan Shuo," Wang Hao's "Guang Qunfang Pu," Wu Qijun's "Zhiwu Ming Shi Tu Kao," and Ou Jince's late Qing "Linghai Lanyan" still have certain reference value today.
Orchid's dietary therapy or medicinal value
The medical information and healthy dietary therapy information on Huhua.com are for reference only and cannot be used as a basis for diagnosis or medical treatment. Any health problem should be consulted with professional medical personnel, and treatment of any disease should follow a doctor's advice.
Ultimate flower-protecting mission: to love yourself, start from reality and carefully follow a doctor's advice. Toward illness, do not be careless, do not delay, do not give up hope; face it bravely, use love to warm the silent world, and use your heart to care for the flower field within.
Medicinal value
According to records, the roots, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds of orchids all have certain medicinal value. The roots can treat pulmonary tuberculosis, lung abscess and sprains, and can also set bones; Cymbidium ensifolium roots decocted in soup and taken are said to be an excellent medicine for inducing labor. The leaves treat whooping cough, the fruits can stop vomiting, and the seeds treat eye cataracts. The whole plant of Cymbidium faberi can treat women's diseases, and the whole plant of Cymbidium goeringii treats neurasthenia, roundworms, hemorrhoids and other diseases. Cymbidium ensifolium leaves can treat deficiency of lung qi in weak people (also written as liver qi). Orchid flower stalks can treat malignant ringworm. Plain-heart orchid petals can induce labor. The plain-heart petals of Cymbidium faberi, dried in the shade, can also induce labor.
In rural areas of some parts of Sichuan, orchids are called "labor-inducing flowers." It is said that if a woman has difficulty in childbirth, quickly bring a pot of "labor-inducing flower" into the delivery room, and when the pregnant woman smells the orchid fragrance, she will give birth smoothly. Whether this has a scientific basis still awaits verification by obstetrics and gynecology experts.
China's traditional orchids are precious flowers with graceful posture and rich fragrance (the fragrance of kings). However, physicians through the ages have summarized very little about their medicinal value. The whole orchid plant can be used as medicine. Its nature is neutral, its taste is pungent and sweet, and it is non-toxic. It has effects such as nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, promoting diuresis and draining dampness, and clearing heat and detoxifying. It can be applied to various clinical internal and gynecological conditions. Summarized as follows:
1. Nourish yin fluids, promote body fluid production and moisten dryness, and treat the sequelae of dry mouth and excessive thirst after radiotherapy for malignant tumors.
[Ming] Li Shizhen, "Bencao Gangmu": "Orchid herb, odor pungent, neutral, sweet, non-toxic." "Its qi is clear and fragrant, promotes body fluid production and quenches thirst, moistens muscles, and treats consumptive thirst and gallbladder jaundice." "...To treat consumptive thirst, use orchid leaves in a body-fluid-promoting drink; this is probably the basis." Modern medical science uses radium (cobalt-60) for radiotherapy after surgery for some malignant tumors or cancers, achieving certain therapeutic effects, but causing a certain degree of damage to tissues and organs near the tumor and affecting function. For example, radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, malignant tumors of the salivary glands (mucoepidermoid carcinoma), and upper and middle esophageal cancer damages the various glands of the oral cavity, especially the three major salivary glands, the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands, as well as the mucosal gland cells of the upper digestive tract, causing a large reduction in glandular secretion and producing symptoms of upper consumptive thirst such as dry and burning throat, dry tongue and scorched lips, and thirst with desire to drink. Using orchids can treat this condition caused after radiotherapy for malignant tumors, with very good results.
According to clinical experience, radiotherapy patients with malignant tumors in different sites and organs have better results when combined with some Chinese herbal medicines. For example, radiotherapy patients with laryngeal cancer should be combined with Shan Dou Gen, Bai Mao Gen and Pu Gong Ying; radiotherapy patients with esophageal cancer should be combined with Ban Zhi Lian, Bai Hua She She Cao, Xia Ku Cao and Ling Xian.
2. Clear heat and cool blood, nourish yin and moisten the lungs, and treat dry cough and chronic cough, and hemoptysis due to lung disease.
Modern research in traditional Chinese medicine shows that the whole plant of Cymbidium ensifolium has the effects of clearing heat and cooling blood, nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, and is clinically often used for hemoptysis due to pulmonary tuberculosis and for regulating chronic dry cough that does not stop.
To treat patients with mild to moderate hemoptysis due to pulmonary tuberculosis, use 50-100 grams of fresh Cymbidium ensifolium roots, mash and squeeze the juice or decoct in water and take, twice a day; obvious effects appear in 4-6 days.
To treat patients with dry cough that does not stop, use 30-50 orchid stamens, decoct in water, add rock sugar, twice a day, and take for 3-5 days for remarkable effects. This conforms to the discussion in "Bencao Gangmu" that "orchid herb mainly treats blood production, regulates qi, nourishes the nutritive qi, and eliminates phlegm accumulation in the chest."
3. Regulate qi and harmonize blood, promote dampness and reduce swelling, and treat urinary tract infections and women's leukorrhea.
According to "Bencao Gangmu Shiyi": "The yellow orchid, called honey orchid, can stop diarrhea and leukorrhea, promote the water passages, kill Gu poison, reduce carbuncles and swelling, regulate menstruation; taken for a long time it benefits qi, lightens the body and prevents aging, and communicates with the spirits." Modern traditional Chinese medicine holds that orchid roots have effects such as regulating qi and harmonizing blood, promoting dampness and reducing swelling. They treat urinary system infections and excessive leukorrhea in women.
Use 50 grams of orchid roots, 30 grams of cogon rhizome and 30 grams of winter melon peel, decoct in water and take, continuously for 6-10 days, to treat urinary tract infections.
For excessive leukorrhea in women, use 50 grams of orchid roots, 30 grams of Tianmen Dong, 30 grams of lily and 1 free-range farm chicken, stew together, drink the soup and eat the meat, once every 2-3 days, continuously for 2-3 times.
4. Soothe the liver and relieve depression, harmonize qi and blood, and treat dizziness and vertigo, and neurasthenia.
Modern pharmacological research shows that the aromatic component of orchids, aromatic oil, makes people feel relaxed and happy, clears stale qi, relieves depression and dispels stuffiness, and refreshes the mind.
To treat dizziness and vertigo (Meniere's syndrome), results are achieved. Prescription: 30 g orchid stamens, 15 g chrysanthemum, 15 g Mai Dong, 20 g Xian He Cao, decoct in water and take, 1 dose per day. Take continuously for 4-6 days. This is based on the records in "Bencao Gangmu Shiyi" that "plain-heart Cymbidium ensifolium removes stale qi and relieves depression" and "honey-preserved green orchid flowers brewed as tea harmonize qi and blood, soothe the middle and sober one from wine."
Use 50 grams of orchid roots, 20 grams of canna rhizome and 20 grams of Xu Chang Qing, decoct in water and take, 1 dose per day, continuously for 10-15 days, to treat neurasthenia.
5. Other medicinal uses
According to the record that "orchid leaves receive the qi of metal and water yet seem to have fire; people know the value of their floral fragrance but do not know that their leaves have medicinal uses, for the leaves can strongly disperse long-accumulated stale and depressed qi, namely what today is placed on the right," to treat constipation, stagnation and accumulation in the large and small intestines, thick and greasy tongue coating, dry throat and dry lungs, and offensive bad breath, use 20-30 autumn orchid flowers and 50 g orchid leaves, decoct in water, and when slightly warm, mix in 30 g honey and take, continuously for 2-3 times. This conforms to the theory that the lungs and large intestine are interior-exterior paired.
Use 50-100 grams of fresh orchid roots, wash clean, mash and apply to the affected area, to treat traumatic injuries, subcutaneous bleeding and muscle tumors.
Edible value
(1) The floral fragrance can scent tea
Orchid fragrance is clear and mellow, and when used to scent tea, the quality is the highest. In orchid-producing areas or large orchid nurseries, orchid tea has development prospects.
According to records: "The flowers can enhance tea, and the paste can replace drink." In Fujian Province, villagers preserve Cymbidium ensifolium flowers in honey and then drink them. There is also the record: "Use salted plum dried and pickled to extract juice called plum oil, and use it to soak fresh flowers as a fragrance." In Japan's ancient capital, Kyoto, on the east side there is an old shop that for decades has sold a hereditary "orchid tea." This is made by picking Chunlan flowers produced on Kyoto's northern mountains, drying them semi-dry by a special method, then salting them and putting them in small earthen bottles. When using, take two flowers, place them in a teacup and pour boiling water over them, and they are ready to drink. After being soaked in water, the orchids recover their original shape, both beautiful and with a special fragrance, and the flavor when drunk is extraordinary. The flowers can also be eaten at the same time.
(2) The flowers can be eaten
The flowers can be made into soup. According to records, the flowers can be added to soup; when about to add them to soup, first blanch them with hot water, and the flower color will be fresh and the soup taste delicious. Orchids can be used in dishes and are a famous Sichuan dish at banquets, with a clear fragrance that fills the air around the table, making it unforgettable for a lifetime. Famous dishes in Sichuan cuisine include "orchid tripe shreds," "orchid shredded pork" and so on, and "orchid buns" are also endlessly flavorful.
Orchid's cultural background: Chinese painting orchids
China's orchid culture has a history of more than 2,000 years since orchid appreciation began. The ancient esteem for orchids embodies the characteristics of traditional Chinese aesthetics. Literati and poets through the ages have endlessly chanted and praised orchids, referring not only to the elegant form of orchids but even more to their clear and secluded fragrance.
The orchid's appearance is simple and elegant, with slender and soft leaves, beautiful flower posture, plain and quiet fragrance, and the temperament of "clear color, clear qi, clear spirit and clear rhyme." It is also called Junzilan, indicating that orchids are close to gentlemen. Literati preferred to plant, appreciate, chant, paint and write about orchids, with an orchid complex that could not be shaken off.
Poetry, songs and fu
(Tang) Li Bai
A lone orchid grows in a secluded garden, hidden among the weeds.
Though it is lit by the spring sun, it again grieves under the high autumn moon.
Flying frost patters down early; its green brilliance may fade away.
If there is no clear breeze, for whom will its fragrance be released?
Guang Qunfang Pu
(Qing) Liu Hao
The orchid grows in a secluded valley unknown to others; a traveler planted it in the eastern porch and left me its fragrance.
I know it has a clear fragrance that can dispel filth, and I love even more its slender leaves that skillfully brave the frost.
Its roots settle among dense stones, fragrant early in autumn; the clump leans by tall bamboo, cool in the midday shade.
I wish to send it with Xiongqiong to share beneath the hall; before my eyes I always see the chapters of Chu ci.
Guang Qunfang Pu
(Qing) Liu Hao
Weeping dew scatters its light in disorder; bearing wind, its shadow slants of itself.
How can ordinary people understand this? To them, looking at leaves is better than looking at flowers.
Ode to Orchid (Yuan) Yu Tonglu
With my hands I cultivated two or three orchid plants; as the days warmed and the breeze was gentle, they bloomed one after another.
Sitting long, I did not know the fragrance was in the room; when I pushed open the window, butterflies sometimes flew in.
Huanxisha: Orchid
As if in a bronze vase I see dew-covered sprouts; sparse flowers, cold and quiet, faintly holding charm.
On the Xiang River clear tears drip into the spring tide; how could heart and heart be alike in delicate beauty?
And no leaf after leaf adds to its graceful bearing; one heartbroken collection is the Li Sao.
Ode to Orchid (modern) Zhu De
In Yuexiu Park's grove of flowers and trees, a hundred flowers bloom together, each contending for spring.
Only the orchid's fragrance is just right, for a time prized throughout the city of Guangzhou.
Secluded Orchid (Tang) Cui Tu
Planted in seclusion, who among the crowd knows it? It holds its fragrance only in secret.
Since no gentleman wears it, it is not that its national fragrance has declined.
White dew moistens it long and early; the spring wind always arrives late.
It is not as good as roadside grass; what is the use of its rich fragrance!
Orchid (Song) Yang Wanli
By a snowy path it secretly opens pale blue flowers; its icy roots freely put forth small red buds.
It has no peach-and-plum face of spring breeze; its fame lies in the mountains and forests, in the recluse's home.
In politics, its fragrance reaches the court and the market, yet it will not let its frosty integrity grow old amid the clouds and rosy mists.
The river hedge and garden thoroughwort are not my companions; I leave it to the poets to settle the ranks.
Painting Orchids Inscribed (Qing dynasty) Zheng Xie (xiè), Zheng Banqiao
Perched atop a thousand mountain peaks, in deep clefts of jutting rock its wondrous fragrance gathers thick.
It is not that there are no drifting clouds making clamor beneath its feet; they come without knowing it, and leave without staying.
Contemporary Poems in Praise of Orchids
Ancient-Style Verse [Huzhou] Yao Danping
I do not vie for favor with the jade grasses, but seek only to meet the clear breeze often;
I wish to spread my fragrance everywhere, to fulfill a heart full of fervor.
Orchid by Yu Yafei
Among the clumps of grass by the roadside there is an orchid, showing no heroic bearing, displaying no splendor;
Only when its subtle fragrance reaches the heart and lungs does one realize that a rare blossom hides in the garden of plants.
Celebrities and Orchids
Confucius Praises the Orchid
Confucius was extremely fond of orchids. Because he placed particular emphasis on the cultivation of personal moral character, he lodged deep feelings in the orchid. In the book Kongzi Jiayu (The School Sayings of Confucius), collected and compiled by Wang Su of the Wei of the Three Kingdoms, a much-told anecdote of Confucius praising the orchid is recorded.
"Confucius said: 'After my death, Shang will improve day by day, while Ci will decline day by day.' Zengzi said: 'What do you mean?' The Master said: 'Shang likes to associate with those who are better than himself, while Ci likes to associate with those who are not as good as himself. If you do not know a son, look at his father; from this one concludes that "a gentleman must be careful about where he places himself." From then on, "the chamber of iris and orchid" became a byword for a good environment and an idiom praising and beautifying the orchid.
The Kongzi Jiayu also excerpts another passage of Confucius: "The iris and orchid grow in deep valleys, and do not cease to be fragrant because no one is there; the gentleman cultivates the Way and establishes virtue, and does not change his integrity because of poverty and hardship." This was a passage in which Confucius answered Zilu. At that time King Zhao of Chu invited Confucius, and Confucius, accepting the invitation, set out from Chen and Cai. "The grand officers of Chen and Cai plotted together, saying: Confucius is a sage; whatever he criticizes always hits the maladies of the feudal lords. If he is employed by Chu, then Chen and Cai will be in danger." So they sent troops to surround Confucius, "and Confucius could not proceed; he fasted for seven days, with no communication from outside, and even wild-vegetable soup was not enough; his followers all fell ill, yet Confucius lectured all the more fervently, and his singing to the zither did not fade." At this Zilu said: "I have heard that Heaven rewards those who do good with blessings, and visits those who do evil with calamity. Now you, Master, have accumulated virtue and embraced righteousness, and have put it into practice for a long time; why should you be reduced to such poverty and hardship?" Then Confucius enumerated the sages and virtuous men of history, such as Boyi and Shuqi, Prince Bigan, and Wu Zixu, who in the end met with misfortune, explaining that "whether one meets with recognition or not is a matter of timing; whether one is worthy or unworthy is a matter of talent; there are many gentlemen of broad learning and deep schemes who do not meet the right time -- why should it be I, Qiu, alone?" He also cited the iris and orchid, which "do not cease to be fragrant because no one is there," as a vivid metaphor to demonstrate the view that "a gentleman does not change his integrity because of poverty and hardship."
Goujian Plants Orchids
The place where Goujian planted orchids -- Lancun Hill -- is a small hill on the south side, twenty-five li from the city, facing the ancient Jian Lake to the east and backed by Kuaiji Mountain to the west; it is truly a fine place for growing orchids. From the pottery unearthed from the Hemudu cultural layer in Yuyao, it can be determined that the awareness and technique of potted plants already existed at that time. In the Yue state 4000 years later, it can be confidently affirmed that King Goujian of Yue planted orchids on Lancun Hill. Goujian's orchid planting had not only motive but also technical guarantee.
Regarding Goujian's planting of orchids on Lancun Hill, there are many historical records. Besides the Baoqing Xu Kuaiji Zhi, for example, the Shaoxing Fu Zhi from the Wanli period of the Ming dynasty records: Lancun Hill, there is a plant there, with long leaves and white flowers, and the flower has a fragrance fit for a state; its name is lan (orchid), planted by Goujian. The Ming man Nan Fengji, annotating Wang Shipeng's Kuaiji Fengsu Fu, also said: Lanting is namely Lanzhu. The Yue Jue Shu says: Goujian planted orchids on Lancun Hill. The Ming dynasty Xu Wei also mentioned in his Langu Ge that Goujian, in planting orchids, must choose the ground, and that Lanzhu today is precisely that place. The Shaoxing Dizhi Shulue records: Lancun Hill, twenty-seven li south of the city, where Goujian planted orchids. Because Goujian planted orchids on Lancun Hill, later generations named Lancun Hill Lanzhu Hill, named the market below Lanzhu Hill Flower Street, and named the post station below Lanzhu Hill Lanting.
Qu Yuan Wears the Orchid
Qu Yuan (approximately 340 BCE to early 278 BCE), a great poet of the Warring States period. His given name was Ping, his courtesy name Yuan, his sobriquet Lingjun, also known as Zhengze. He was a man of Chu. The Shiji: Biography of Qu Yuan says of him: "Of wide learning and strong memory, clear about the principles of order and disorder, and skilled in speech." But his political views met with fierce opposition from the old bureaucratic aristocracy, and the King Huai of Chu, on whom he relied, was muddle-headed and incompetent, unable to distinguish the loyal from the treacherous. As a result, he believed slander and grew angry with Qu Yuan and exiled him. By the time of King Qingxiang of Chu, Qu Yuan suffered even greater misfortune and was long banished to the Yuan and Xiang region. Qu Yuan met with poverty and hardship, but his will did not change, and his conduct became even more upright: "I cannot change my heart and follow the vulgar crowd; I would rather end in sorrow and poverty!" He expressed this resolve to think of the ruler and love the state, and this feeling of setting the times right and aiding the world, through many kinds of fragrant flowers and rare plants, stirring emotion through things and lodging his aspirations in things; moreover, he made new developments in this technique of comparison and evocation, thus blending thing and self, emotion and scene, into one, and greatly expanding the realm and expressive power of poetry. In selecting fragrant flowers and rare plants, Qu Yuan especially selected the orchid; therefore in many poems such as Li Sao, Jiu Ge, and Jiu Zhang, he writes of how he cultivated orchids, wore orchids, threaded orchids, plucked orchids, and cut orchids. He placed boundless hope in the orchid: "I had already cultivated nine wan of orchids, and again planted a hundred mu of thoroughwort... when the branches and leaves are tall and luxuriant, I wish to wait for the time to cut them." He took the orchid as a friend and made it his bosom companion: "The time grows dim and is about to end; I tie the hidden orchid and linger." He took the orchid as an ornament, expressing his own purity and self-regard: "I wear the Jiangli and the Bijian, and thread the autumn orchid as my girdle." He also worried that the orchid might wither in the autumn wind and cold dew and follow the vulgar, changing its integrity and losing its fragrance: "The times are tumultuous and change; how can I stay long? The orchid and angelica have changed and lost their fragrance; the calamus and the aromatic herbs have turned into weeds." The above are only a few examples of orchids cited in Li Sao, and from this one can see how Qu Yuan loved orchids, praised orchids, lodged his feelings in orchids, and used orchids to satirize; here the orchid is not a simple metaphor or an evocation stirred by things, but a symbol, a lodging, a pursuit of spirit and character.
Zheng Sixiao's Painting
Zheng Sixiao (1241-1318), a poet and painter of the late Song and early Yuan, a man of Lianjiang (present-day Fujian). His original name is unknown; after the fall of the Song he changed his name to Sixiao, because the character "Xiao" is a component of Zhao, the surname of the Song imperial house. His courtesy name was Yiweng, expressing that he did not forget his old country; his sobriquet was Suonan. In the Yuan dynasty, Zheng Suonan (that is, Zheng Sixiao) was most famous for painting orchids, and his implied meaning was also the most explicit. After the fall of the Zhao-Song regime, it is said that whether sitting or lying he always faced south, to show that he cherished the memory of the former dynasty and was ashamed to be a turncoat official of the Yuan dynasty; the orchids he painted never included soil or roots, as if they were floating in the air. When people asked him about it, he said: "The land has been seized by the foreigners; do you not know?" Or he answered: "The territory has already been seized by the foreigners; how could I be willing to let it touch the ground?"
After the fall of the Song, Zheng Suonan vowed never to associate with northerners. People knew he was reclusive and did not find it strange. He lived in seclusion at Wuxia, and had several tens of mu of fields, which he entrusted to the Baoguo Temple south of the city, using the annual income from the fields to make offerings to his ancestors at the temple. Whenever he encountered a taboo day he would wail greatly below the temple, and the gentleman also lodged and ate at the temple. His room was bare and still; when he sat, he always faced south. When the powerful and eminent sought his orchids, he was especially reluctant to give them. But to ordinary folk and children who somewhat matched his intention, he would instead give them. When the county magistrate sought them and could not get them, knowing that he had fields, he threatened him with taxes and corvee to obtain them. The gentleman angrily said: "My head may be cut off, but the orchid cannot be painted!" On every seasonal festival, he would gaze south toward the wilds, weep, and bow twice. He delighted in the teachings of Buddhism and Daoism, and was skilled at painting orchids, with sparse flowers and simple leaves, not seeking great refinement. Once finished, he would destroy the painting, and did not rashly give it to others; therefore the orchids he left to the world are extremely few, and only one, the Ink Orchid Picture, survives, stored in the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts in Japan.
Zheng Banqiao's Painting
Zheng Banqiao is an outstanding representative of the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou," and in particular a master of a generation in painting orchids, bamboo, and flowers.
Historically it is said that "Banqiao had three excellences: painting, poetry, and calligraphy; and within the three excellences there were again three truths: true spirit, true meaning, and true delight." His calligraphy formed a style of its own, half clerical and half regular, called "six-and-a-half-part script," with the charm of crisscrossing irregularity and lean, hard, strange steepness. His poetry reflects life, has substance in what it says, and is moreover characterized by vividness and popular accessibility. Pairing such poetry and calligraphy with his orchid works made his paintings even more full of interest and true spirit. His "three truths" were the expression of his inner heart, concentratedly manifesting his sympathy for the sufferings of the people. He said: among all people between heaven and earth, the first class is only the farmers... they all suffer in their bodies and labor with their strength, plowing, sowing, and harvesting, in order to nourish the people of the world. If the world had no farmers, everyone in the world would starve to death. Therefore his painting of orchids was meant to express this sincere and intense feeling of "treating all people as my brothers and all things as my kind." He said: "Whenever I paint orchids and paint stones, it is to comfort the laboring people of the world, not to serve those who sit at ease and enjoy themselves." With such a breadth of mind, his paintings possessed the "three truths."
Banqiao liked to paint potted orchids, and also often painted orchids on cliff walls and orchids among thorny thickets. Among Banqiao's orchid paintings, the most numerous and the most savor-worthy are the pictures of orchid, bamboo, and stone. This is certainly the tradition of ancient orchid painting and a characteristic of the "Eight Eccentrics'" flower painting, but it is also his creation and his outstanding achievement. In his orchid-and-bamboo paintings he often added stones, holding that "one bamboo, one orchid, one stone: there is integrity, there is fragrance, there is bone"; "Orchid, bamboo, and stone appear in succession; the great gentleman cannot do without them."
Banqiao's paintings of orchid, bamboo, and stone reached the peak of perfection, and his inscribed poems played the role of adding the finishing touch, such as: "Half green mountain, half bamboo; half green shade, half jade. I ask you, when the tea is brewed and you wake from sleep, facing this you feel as if in a stone house." "A stretch of green mountain, a stretch of orchid; orchid fragrance and bamboo green are pleasing to behold. Dongting and Yunmeng for three thousand li, filled with spring wind and unaware of cold." "On the stone grows orchid and further grows bamboo; a beauty accompanies them in the secluded valley. May I ask from where the east wind blows? It blows into the Xiang waves, a river of green."
Lu Xun Gathers Orchids
Several generations of Lu Xun's family loved orchids. On November 14, 1933, Lu Xun in a letter to Yamamoto Hatsukou wrote that "my great-grandfather once cultivated many orchids, and for this purpose specially built three rooms." On March 18, 1911, Lu Xun, along with Zhou Jianren and Wang Hezhao, went to visit the Mausoleum of Great Yu at the foot of Kuaiji Mountain. Before setting out, Lu Xun had everyone bring two painted tin buckets and a copper [tool] that he had prepared in advance. After arriving at the Mausoleum of Great Yu, they toured the Yu Temple and the Bianstone Pavilion, and then went up Kuaiji Mountain to gather orchids. Later, Lu Xun wrote up the experience of this trip to the mountain as Xinhai Youlu (Travel Records of the Xinhai Year), published in the first issue of Yueshe Congkan in February 1912, signed "Zhou Jianren Qiaofeng of Kuaiji."
Regarding that orchid-gathering on Kuaiji Mountain, Zhou Jianren in his later years often brought it up: "After the eldest (Lu Xun) gathered the 'one-leaf orchid,' he was extremely excited and said to me: 'Old Third, we truly did not make this trip in vain!' Back home, we carefully potted the orchids. Later, the eldest, at the invitation of Mr. Cai Yuanpei, went to Beijing to take office; at first he wanted to take the orchids with him, but in the end, because the journey was so far, he did not take them. Before leaving, he specially instructed me to plant these several pots of orchids well. Not long after, I too was hired to teach at a school, and usually seldom returned home; in the end, the 'one-leaf orchid' died. To keep the eldest from being heartbroken, I never told him this news."
In the late 1920s, Lu Xun moved to Shanghai. Around the time of Awakening of Insects each year, when people passed by Lu Xun's residence, the subtle fragrance of orchids would come rushing to their faces. In Shanghai he also became acquainted with the Japanese orchid enthusiast Obara Eijiro. Obara ran a Chinese curio shop in Tokyo called "Kyokado," and also dealt in orchids. Before the War of Resistance, Obara Eijiro had many times been to Hangzhou, Shaoxing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, and other places to collect Chinese spring orchids. He was on old terms with Zhu Zhangfu, Wang Shuping, and others, and once wanted to invite Zhu Zhangfu to Japan to grow orchids. He wrote the Lanhua Pu (Orchid Register). In 1931, when the Kuomintang suppressed the writers of the Left League, Lu Xun took refuge in the Hanazono-so inn opened by the Japanese; it happened that Obara was about to return home with orchids he had traded, and, stirred by the scene, Lu Xun used the matter of a friend carrying orchids eastward to return home, and through the orchid expressed his feelings:
The pepper is burned, the cassia broken, the beauty grown old; alone it leans on the secluded cliff and unfolds its pure heart.
How could it begrudge sending its fragrance to those far away? In my native place, as if drunk, there are thorns and brambles.
Zhu De's Love of Orchids
Zhu De had a particular fondness for orchids throughout his life; whether in wartime or in peacetime, his affection for orchids was consistent from beginning to end. Orchids not only brought great pleasure to Zhu De's life, but also let people see his side full of life's delights and delicate feelings.
In his early years, when he was in the army in Yunnan, Zhu De had already begun to like orchids. In the intervals between marching and fighting, he often gathered orchids everywhere, transplanting them to admire, and from this accumulated some knowledge about orchid varieties and cultivation.
In 1928, Zhu De led the Nanchang Uprising troops and the Autumn Harvest Uprising troops led by Mao Zedong in a victorious meeting at Jinggangshan. In the mountains southeast of Ciping in Jinggangshan, various orchids grew abundantly, especially the Jinggang orchid, known as "Orchid Flat." Seeing wild orchids again many years later, Zhu De was extraordinarily excited; he often went into the mountains in his spare time to seek out and admire flowers, and when he encountered fine specimens, he would gather them and cultivate them with care. The story of Zhu De's love of orchids spread widely among the people of Jinggangshan, leaving the much-told tale that "in those years Commander Zhu introduced orchids, whose fragrance drifted eight hundred li along the Hunan-Jiangxi border," and it was even woven into a red ballad to be sung: "Commander Zhu carried water from the Xiang River, watering the Jinggang orchids into bloom."
Far from the era of raging war, Zhu De had the conditions to study orchids seriously. Whenever he went out on inspection, as long as the place produced orchids and he had spare time, he would always go with great interest to parks or the wild to seek orchids, and when he encountered good varieties, he would bring them back to Beijing and cultivate them carefully. If he came upon a flower exhibition, he would certainly not miss it. His footprints covered almost all the main orchid-producing regions, including Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi, Guangdong and Guangxi, Sichuan and Guizhou, and Hainan Island. It is said that in February 1961, when he visited Gushan in Fuzhou and passed by an old tree, he looked up and said there were orchids on the tree; everyone was half-believing. So someone climbed the tree to look, and indeed gathered a bunch of orchids from the tree.
Under Zhu De's both scientific and meticulous care, the several thousand pots of rare orchids kept at Zhu De's home grew well; yet he was not satisfied with this alone, and he often gave away the orchids he had carefully cultivated to others or to gardening departments, sharing the fragrance and beauty of the orchids with everyone. Beginning in 1961, he sent people specially to give more than 160 pots of orchids suitable for cultivation in subtropical regions, in three batches, to the Du Fu Thatched Cottage in Chengdu. Many of the orchids in Beijing's Zhongshan Park were given by Zhu De. According to an old gardener at the park: "Marshal Zhu often gave us orchids, such as 'Haiyan Qifei' from Hainan Island, Guangdong's ink orchid, 'Yuchen Dagong,' 'Yinbian Dagong,' 'Jinsi Mawei,' Sichuan's multifloral orchid, summer cymbidium, 'Longchang Su,' 'Heqi Lüyi,' Jiangsu and Zhejiang's 'Quzhou Su,' Yunnan's 'Da Hong She' and autumn orchid, and so on." In addition, Zhu De also gave the orchid-related books he had collected to gardening departments, encouraging them to study diligently and improve cultivation techniques.
Orchids added much delight to Zhu De's life; whenever he saw orchids vying in strange beauty and blooming in competition, or discovered a new orchid variety, Zhu De would often be seized with poetic inspiration. On March 3, 1961, when Zhu De visited the orchid garden in Yuexiu Park in Guangzhou, he improvised the poem "Visiting Yuexiu Park": "In Yuexiu Park's grove of flowers and trees, a hundred flowers all bloom, each striving in spring. Only the orchid's fragrance is just right, for a time prized throughout the Five Rams City." In the deep autumn of the same year, Zhu De once wrote a seven-character quatrain to describe the pleasure he gained from his diligent labor: "The secluded orchid, radiant, waits for winter to bloom; green leaves and verdant growth mirror the painted terrace. Just opening, red blossoms with dewdrops falling; fragrance fills ten paces and comes out from the courtyard."
On January 1, 1962, Zhu De visited the orchid exhibition at Beijing's Zhongshan Park and wrote the poem "Praising the Orchid Exhibition": "Spring comes, purple vapor rises in the east; all things multiply and all shine forth. The secluded orchid newly displayed in the new capital; everyone praises the national fragrance. The secluded orchid puts forth its excellence beneath the tall forest, yet still coils its roots beside the common grasses. Even if no one sees and admires it, it still obtains its place and naturally holds its fragrance." Its last four lines were later printed on the special stamp souvenir sheet "Chinese Orchids," issued on December 25, 1988.
In 1963, during a visit to the Du Fu Thatched Cottage in Chengdu, Zhu De wrote more than 10 poems under the title "Spring Inspirations at the Thatched Cottage," among which one praises the orchid: "The secluded orchid comes out of the valley, weak and slender; moved to the thatched cottage, it is willing to bow. It is said its fragrant bearing does not understand intent, yet accompanying the Ministry of Works it puts forth new shoots."
On April 20, 1963, during an inspection in Sichuan, Zhu De once went to Shisun Peak on Mount Emei to seek orchids, personally planting the orchids he had gathered into pots, and said to the accompanying staff: "The ancients said bamboo has integrity but no flowers, plum has flowers but no leaves, pine has leaves but no fragrance; only the orchid has leaves, flowers, and fragrance. Please take good care of these several pots of orchids for me; in the future I will still come to Emei, and still come to see these orchids." And he improvised a lyric, "Parrot Song: Gathering Orchids at Shisun Peak": "On Mount Emei I dwell as fate allows; in the secluded valley of Shisun Peak I serve as the immortal father. Pine and bamboo, friends and companions, ever reflect one another, together enduring mist, clouds, wind, and rain. A person of understanding comes to visit and seek; my vow follows you as you go forward. If I may be offered up as national fragrance, an imperishable fragrant name will remain everywhere."
Over his lifetime Zhu De created about 40 poems and lyrics praising orchids. These poems and lyrics truly reflect what Zhu De felt and realized in the process of seeking, cultivating, and admiring orchids, and are full of Zhu De's praise and love for orchids. In Zhu De's view, growing orchids had many uses. On February 6, 1961, when Zhu De visited Fuzhou West Lake Park, and walked to the orchid nursery, he said to Chen Shizhang of the Fuzhou Municipal Gardening Administration: "The Liuxiang Ravine in the Wuyi Mountains produces many orchids; they should be widely collected and propagated in large quantities as export materials, which can both participate in international cultural exchange and enrich the contents of orchid registers." On January 1, 1963, while inspecting the South China Botanical Garden, he again said to the person in charge of the garden: "Do not look down on orchids; orchids can be exported. We should plant orchids widely and earn more foreign exchange." At a time when China's industrial level was backward and its export capacity limited, developing the cultivation of orchids and other flowers could indeed serve as a way to increase exports and earn foreign exchange.
The orchid is a traditional famous flower of our country; it is dignified and quietly elegant, plain and noble, tough and resolute, and is much esteemed by people; together with plum, bamboo, and chrysanthemum it is called one of the "Four Gentlemen." The orchid's noble character is precisely what Zhu De greatly valued, esteemed, and required of himself. Throughout his life he fought with unwavering purpose for the pursuit and practice of truth; he was modest and prudent, amiable and approachable; he was indifferent to fame and gain and broad-minded, just like that plain and noble orchid whose fragrance lasts long!
The Flower Language of Orchids
The flower language, symbolism, and representative meaning of the orchid are: indifference to fame and gain, and elegance. There are many varieties of orchids; according to incomplete statistics, there are more than 20,000 orchid varieties in the world, among which the more famous ones include Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium, and others. In fact, each has its own flower language, but the general flower language of the orchid is indifference to fame and gain, and elegance. [8]
Violet: everlasting beauty
Freesia: purity, innocence
Cattleya: noble lady
Phalaenopsis: happiness gradually arriving
Oncidium: hidden love
Gladiolus: elegance, longevity, peace and health
Orchid flower language: indifference to fame and gain, elegance, beauty, nobility, and virtue
Orchid Pictures