Song Mei is a famous cultivar of Cymbidium goeringii in the orchid family.

Alternative Names of Song Mei

Song Mei is also called Song Jinxuan Mei or Jinxuan. It is a traditional famous cultivar of Chinese orchids and the representative variety of the plum-petal flower type. This flower was selected during the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty (1736-1795) by Song Jinxuan of Shaoxing, and its name was formed by combining Song Jinxuan's surname with the plum-petal form of the flower. Its flower form is dignified and generous, and it is ranked first among the four great famous cultivars of Cymbidium goeringii, and together with the Cymbidium goeringii cultivar Longzi it is known as the "Twin Jades of Chinese Orchids." Having gone through more than two hundred years of history, although famous orchids have emerged one after another, none of the plum-petal flowers has surpassed it, and it belongs among the finest exemplars of the plum-petal flower type.

Growth Habits of Song Mei

Song Mei likes a shady and humid environment, and it dislikes direct sunlight and dry conditions. The suitable temperature for growth is between 15°C and 30°C, and below 5°C it will enter a dormant state. It likes sandy soil rich in humus and requires good drainage.

Morphological Characteristics of Song Mei

According to records, when Song Mei was first discovered, its flower form was the lotus-shaped narcissus petal type, and only after cultivation by many people did it gradually change into the plum-petal type. Its petals have a downy luster, and in flower form the three outer petals are especially tight and round, just like plum blossom petals, with tightly rolled edges resembling a white inlay. The color is greenish, and the two inner petals form a pouch, shaped like a silkworm moth, hence they are called silkworm-moth pouches. The lip petal is short and round, slightly turned upward. The tip of the lip forms a slight pouch, just like a child's bangs, hence it is called the bangs lip. On the lip there are irregular red spots. Long-term artificial cultivation has induced bud mutation, and some lips have already turned white, with only red patches remaining at the base of the lip. The three outer petals sometimes open as the lotus-shaped narcissus type, or the plum-shaped narcissus type. When the orchid plant is robust, it readily produces double buds and twin flowers on one stem. The main petal is upright and perfectly round, the side petals are level-shouldered, the central structure is round and neat, and the flower's appearance is very well-proportioned. The flower scape is tall and raised, sometimes able to rise above the leaves.​ 

The Flower Language of Song Mei

The flower language of Song Mei is friendship and confidence!