What Are the Main Types of Chinese Orchids? A Detailed Introduction to Common Varieties

There are 500 genera and 15,000 species of orchids, widely distributed across tropical and temperate regions worldwide. China has about 150 genera and 1,000 species, with the greatest abundance in the southwest and in Taiwan, China. The traditionally cultivated terrestrial orchids in China are collectively known as "Chinese orchids." By flowering time they can be divided into four major groups: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Although some orchids are very fragrant, their flower scapes are too short to reveal their beauty; some have large flowers but no fragrance. The better varieties mainly include 7 types: ① Cymbidium goeringii (spring orchid): mainly produced in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The leaves are slender and much curved, the flower scape is single, and it must have a vernalization condition below 10°C to flower. ② Spring Cymbidium faberi: also known as Jiuzi Lan, Jiujie Lan, and summer orchid. The leaf texture is relatively thin and slender. It has relatively high requirements for air humidity. Its management is more complicated than that of Cymbidium goeringii. It is mainly produced in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and other provinces. It is most suitable for cultivation in subtropical regions. ③ Spring Jian Lan: also known as Bamao Lan and Niucao Lan. The leaf shape is elegant, and it produces pale yellow-green flower-like blooms; the scape is 20-35 cm tall, with 3-7 flowers, many flower colors, and good fragrance. It is produced in the Jinsha River, Dadu River and Min River basins. ④ Cymbidium ensifolium: in some places Cymbidium ensifolium is called autumn orchid, four-season orchid, arrow Cymbidium faberi, male orchid, sword-leaf orchid, summer Cymbidium faberi, Suruga orchid, etc. The scape bears 5-9 flowers, some as many as 18; they are mostly pale yellow, 4-6 cm in diameter, and rich in delicate fragrance. It is easy to manage and produces a large number of flowers, and is mainly produced in Fujian. ⑤ Cymbidium tortisepalum (Lianban Lan): mainly produced in northern Yunnan and southern Sichuan. The flowering period is from December to March of the following year; the scape bears 3-5 flowers, 4-6 cm in diameter, in white, red, yellow, green or with veining. The lip is turned back, and the flowers have a delicate fragrance. ⑥ Cymbidium kanran: the scape bears more than 10 flowers, and the flowers have a delicate fragrance. The flower diameter is more than 8 cm, with the largest reaching 16 cm. The petals are short and broad, and the lip is large and long. The flower posture and colors are rich and varied. ⑦ Cymbidium sinense: the flower color is brown-purple, close to ink. Its peak flowering period is during the Spring Festival, so it is also called Baosui Lan, Fengsui Lan and Baisui Lan. The leaves are broad, large and glossy, and the plant form is spectacular. However, Cymbidium sinense is not cold-tolerant, and its flowers carry a sweet fragrance. Among the 7 types of orchids, each orchid has small classifications such as dwarf types, unusual leaves, unusual flowers, petal-form flowers, butterfly-form flowers, aberrant flowers, bicolor flowers, plain-heart flowers, and colored-heart flowers. Responsible editor: Yuhuaren