Crystal Grass Emerald Jade Plum of Douban Orchid, with lovely flower colors

Douban Orchid, also called Line-art Spring Orchid, as a member of the large family of Chinese orchids, has a long history of cultivation in Yunnan Province, with many varieties, wide distribution and rich resources. After years of selection, cultivation, development and utilization by orchid circles, some excellent varieties have appeared among Douban Orchids, attracting the attention of the orchid world and increasingly favored by orchid art lovers at home and abroad. Among them, Emerald Jade Plum, developed by Mr. Zhang Qilin, standing director and deputy secretary-general of the Dali Prefecture Orchid Association, combines crystal flowers, plum petals, flying shoulders, hard lips, crystal-clear color and strong fleshy texture in one, and is one of the finest varieties among Douban Orchids.

Emerald Jade Plum was purchased by Mr. Zhang Qilin, a famous orchid grower in Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province, in early 2002 at the orchid market in Dali City, when it was only one seedling of a wild-collected plant with a flower. After careful cultivation by Mr. Zhang, this endangered variety was protected, and the number of seedlings increased year by year over several years. After it flowered for the third time in 2007, it was consistent with the previous two times, with lovely flower colors, outer petals of the plum-petal type, flying shoulders, and a tongue petal with an obvious crystal glass body, resembling frozen jadeite, hence the name Emerald Jade Plum.

Emerald Jade Plum has a well-developed, thick and round root system. The leaf posture is graceful, soft yet containing firmness, the leaf surface is light green and glossy, leaf length 30-50 cm, leaf width 0.4-0.7 cm, each plant has 4-5 leaves, upright and slightly arching. The leaf buds are plain-colored, the leaf margins have obvious serrations, the midrib is translucent, the leaf groove is deep and V-shaped, and it has strong cultivation adaptability. It blooms in early spring every year, with one flower per scape, the flower rises above the leaves, belongs to the large-flowered type, the three outer petals have no red veins or mottling, crystal-clear and sparkling like jadeite, and are broad and moist with a narrow base, the main petal is upright, all three petals are round with rounded corners, plum petals with hard lips, the two lateral sepals tilt upward, with excellent bone strength, and the flower is relatively good; the inner lips are moist, deep and round, tightly holding the column. The tongue shape resembles a jade carving, the red spots on the tongue are neatly and distinctly arranged, making the flower color especially lovely and eye-catching, appearing as a crystal glass body, and it is a round tongue, with absolutely superb charm, truly delightful; the whole flower shape is full of strength, noble and magnificent, with pleasing spirit, winning unanimous praise from many orchid friends, and is a treasure among treasures of Douban Orchids.

Emerald Jade Plum is an excellent orchid art masterpiece discovered and selected from Douban Orchids. Because of its excellent quality, ease of cultivation, strong cultivation adaptability, flowers and leaves enjoyed together, easy petal recognition, and stable traits, it is one of the excellent orchid varieties among Douban Orchids with relatively high ornamental value and the greatest market potential. As more orchid art lovers come to know, love, study and discuss Douban Orchids, Emerald Jade Plum will show its elegance, display its charm fully, and radiate the brilliance it deserves.