Three new spring Dendrobium cultivars released, Taitung Panda the most distinctive
Spring Dendrobium is also a kind of orchid. Although its fame is far below that of Phalaenopsis, it shares the same characteristics as Phalaenopsis: easy tissue culture, flower shapes and colors that meet public aesthetic standards, and the ability to have its flowering period regulated. Researchers therefore see spring Dendrobium as a promising candidate. At the end of last year, the Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station of the Council of Agriculture successfully registered 3 new hybrids with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the UK: 'Taitung Fragrant Lotus', 'Taitung Golden Peacock', and 'Taitung Panda'. After obtaining commercial names for these 3, possibly only Taitung Panda will have a variety rights application filed for it.
Li Wennan, assistant researcher at the Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, explained that after new lines are bred through hybridization, they obtain a commercial name registration and are sold to growers, allowing growers to quickly mass-produce them and seize market opportunities first. The station then continues to breed new varieties, keeping spring Dendrobium lines flowing continuously and building the reputation of Taiwan's spring Dendrobium. These 2 new lines, Taitung Fragrant Lotus and Taitung Golden Peacock, may both follow this model.
The 3 lines Taitung Fragrant Lotus, Taitung Golden Peacock, and Taitung Panda all have excellent traits such as easy cultivation, good flowering ability, suitability for cultivation on flat land, the ability to flower while bearing leaves, and full flower shape. Taitung Fragrant Lotus is a red-flowered hybrid line with stiff, upright flower stalks and strong contrast; Taitung Golden Peacock is a yellow-flowered hybrid line with natural double stalks and full blooming.
As for Taitung Panda, it is a red-flowered hybrid line. The base of the lateral petals has a purple-red round spot, a feature currently very rare among commercial varieties, and the flower shape is round and cute, meeting the commercial market's required standards for spring Dendrobium. Also because the Taitung Panda line has a feature currently very rare among commercial varieties, it is the only one Li Wennan wants to keep for a variety rights application. Because the line is so good, he is willing to wait 2 years to release it after applying for variety rights.
Taitung Fragrant Lotus and Taitung Golden Peacock are actually also quite good. After growers buy out the lines, they can keep them for further breeding, or mass-produce flask plantlets for sale. Li Wennan said that Taitung Golden Peacock is yellow-flowered, and yellow is a rather difficult color to obtain in spring Dendrobium. On one hand, the parents are hard to obtain; on the other hand, the temperature must be low enough for it to bloom beautifully. For example, it bloomed well last year, but this year's climate will be too hot for yellow-flowered spring Dendrobium.
Analyzing the spring Dendrobium industry, Li Wennan believes there is still a very, very large amount of room. Phalaenopsis breeding has already reached a bottleneck, and breakthrough development is now relatively difficult, but spring Dendrobium "still has many lines that can be developed, and this industry is still moving forward." Taiwan's spring Dendrobium export markets include Europe, Brazil, and Australia. However, current spring Dendrobium export records are merged into the Dendrobium category, so the export value cannot be known for certain, but "I believe this industry can take off."
On the left of the image is Taitung Fragrant Lotus, and on the right is Taitung Golden Peacock.
Taitung Panda is a red-flowered hybrid line. The base of the lateral petals has a purple-red round spot, a feature currently very rare among commercial varieties, and the flower shape is round and cute, making researchers willing to wait 2 years to release it after obtaining variety rights.