Variegated Oriental Cymbidiums Shared in the Queensland Orchid Society Facebook Group

九華藝蘭天鶴

林陽期：這照片是敝人在陽明山曹振坤先生蘭園拍的天鶴（九華藝蘭）。捧心處有水晶眼，請仔細看！

為草當作蘭
為木當作松
蘭幽春風遠
松寒不改容

唐　李白

Longitudinally, orchids have been cultivated far longer and earlier in the East than in the West. They have been recorded in various documents from the ancient history in China, including herbal medicine books more than three thousand years ago, the “Book of Changes” 易經 dating back to the first millennium BC, and the first manuscript to deal with botany in its entirety around 300 BC, as well as the oldest Chinese dictionary entitled “Shuo Wen Jie Tzi” 說文解字 (edited by Xu Shen, a famous Chinese scholar during the middle part of the Eastern Han Dynasty from 25 AD to 220 AD), in which the Chinese word 蘭 encapsulates perfumed plants prominently represented by orchids, especially the Cymbidium orchid, which is one of the classic flowers of Chinese and Japanese horticulture and art.

The East-West divide rests not solely in the encounters, utilizations and documentations of endemic orchid species but also in the morphological differences between Occidental and Oriental Cymbidiums, accentuated and consolidated over epochs, dynasties and generations by sociocultural forces more than by geographical factors. In other words, whilst globalization has distributed many orchid genera and species far and wide, the largest cultural (and horticultural) divide between the East and West in the cultivation of orchids nowadays probably lies in the Cymbidieae tribe. The typically showy and colourful hybrid Cymbidiums that appeal to Western growers are plants from (sub)tropical Asia with green leaves and little or no fragrance. In contrast, the petite and subdued Cymbidiums preferred and coveted by Eastern growers are the fragrant temperate species with foliage and floral chimerisms that arise from spontaneous natural variants and hybrids.

Oriental Cymbidiums (Asian Cymbidiums or Chinese Cymbidiums) have long been regarded by the Chinese as one of the four noble plants 蘭菊竹梅 (orchid, chrysanthemum, bamboo, plum). In fact, they were deemed as the most precious of the four to the extent that they required special growing technique in pots with well-drained soil, which only wealthy and noble people could provide and enjoy. They were collected by the nobility (sometimes on behalf of the ruling emperors) from the high mountains and brought back to palaces, where certain natural variations of some species were favoured and selected for many generations to accentuate the desired traits and prized attributes in those species via careful divisions of the plants, which were grown in elaborate containers, and were often exchanged or given as gifts with visiting land barons. The value of such a gift was in direct proportion to the rarity of the attributes, and the status accorded to the plants were such that discussions about the orchids and their growing conditions would begin with a tea ceremony accompanied by burning incense.

After the Wei and Jin dynasties (220 to 420 AD), orchid cultivation expanded from the palace to the private gardens of the literati class, where they were used to adorn gardens and beautify landscapes. By the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 to 1912), descriptions and depictions of Oriental Cymbidiums have firmly established in various books, pictures, poems, porcelains and crafts.

The extra-horticultural and meta-botanical merits of Oriental Cymbidiums with respect to the position of these orchids in the Chinese history and culture can be gauged by its allegorical and heuristic representations in many prominent texts, both recent and ancient. For example, Confucius 孔夫子, the eminent teacher, editor, politician and philosopher in Ancient China (551 to 479 BC) stated:

芝蘭生幽谷，不以無人而不芳。君子修道立德，不為窮困而改節。
A solitary orchid adorning the side of a mountain perfumes the air even in the absence of any human presence or appreciation. A true scholar learned in morality and philosophy is always a noble gentleman holding firm to his high principles even in the absence of wealth or prosperity.

Confucius also referred to Oriental Cymbidiums as the “King of Fragrance” 「王者之香」, a phrase that is still in use today, having withstood the test of time and the rise and fall of dynasties.

空谷幽蘭

山谷中優美的蘭花。形容十分難得，常用來比喻人品高雅。
Beautiful, graceful, elegant, exquisite orchids growing in the vacant valley.
Figuratively describing something rare, commonly used to express or denote the elegance, grace, refinement, style or beauty of a human character.

In conclusion, under the rich Chinese cultural characteristics and heritage, Oriental Cymbidiums have come to symbolize elegance, grandeur, refinement, purity, virtuosity, friendship, nobility, patriotism, stoicism and spiritual perfection. They are known for their graceful leaves, dainty blooms and distinctive fragrances. Selective breeding, chance mutation, keen observation, perennial patience, meticulous cultivation and meristem cloning have produced startlingly beautiful forms in Oriental Cymbidiums, resulting in long-lasting fragrance, peloric flowers, variegated leaves and dwarf varieties loved by admiring fans and dedicated growers for hundreds or thousands of years in China, Japan and Korea. Many of them are grown as accent plants to be appreciated in the contexts of art, decor, poetry, caligraphy, painting, philosophy, Zen Buddhism, monasticism, Confucianism and Daoism, all of which are underpinned by various forms of aesthetic sensibility, spiritual ideal and cultural connotation. Some exemplary specimens are even considered as national treasures. The flowers are sometimes used as ingredients in soup, tea, alcoholic drink and certain food.

清香花美藝嬌的國寶

Cymbidium goeringii 春蘭 from China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Ryukyu Islands and the western Himalayas (Photo credit: Wikipedia) has many subspecies and varieties.

Strict adherence to proper growing conditions are usually required on an ongoing basis to maintain variegation and peloricity. Otherwise, reversion to undesirable types may be permanent even upon resumption of proper care.

For example, improper fertilization or taking divisions with single growths (less than two pseudobulbs) can cause the loss of variegation in the Da Mo varieties of sinense, which are special dwarf, compact forms named after the Zen Buddhist Monk called Da Mo (達摩). It is somewhat ironic that “monastic discipline” is required for the optimum cultivation of these cymbidiums.

蘭花藝色太高，需要小心呵護養植。

Variegated and peloric varieties or chimeras can originate from the following Cymbidium species and their crosses. Habitats of the endemic species and natural hybrids include open woodland forest, evergreen lowland forests, montane forest, on the ground or on damp shaded evergreen trees. The elevation can be from the sea level to 2500 metres, depending on the place of origin and climate.

Scientific Name	English	Chinese	Distribution
sinense	Chinese Cymbidium	墨蘭, 報歲蘭, 養老, 達摩, 瑞玉, 鶴之華	Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, Fujian, Jiangxi, Southern Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces of China; Northern Vietnam; Assam of India; Nansei-shoto of Japan
ensifolium	Four Season Orchid, Golden-thread Orchid, Spring Orchid, Burned Apex Orchid, Rock Orchid	建蘭, 四季蘭, 焦尾, 漳蘭, 玉沉	Indo-China to Temperate Eastern Asia
goeringii	Spring Orchid	春蘭	Himalaya to Temperate Eastern Asia
goeringii subsp. goeringii var. goeringii	Chinese Spring Orchid, Japanese Spring Orchid, Korean Spring Orchid	江浙春蘭, 日本春蘭, 韓國春蘭	Temperate Eastern Asia
goeringii subsp. goeringii var. formosanum	Taiwanese Spring Orchid	台灣春蘭	Taiwan
goeringii subsp. goeringii var. forrestii	Yunnanese Spring Orchid	雲南春蘭, 朵朵香	South Western China
goeringii subsp. gracillimum	Leek Orchid, Chive Orchid	豆瓣綠, 豆瓣蘭, 綫葉春蘭	Japan to Southern China
goeringii subsp. longibracteatum var. longibracteatum	Sword-leaf Spring Orchid	春劍蘭	Southern Central China
goeringii subsp. longibracteatum var. tsukengensis	Mt Tsukerg Orchid, Snow Orchid	雪蘭	Southern Central China
goeringii subsp. tortisepalum	Broad-leaf Spring Orchid	菅草蘭	Southern Central China to Taiwan
goeringii subsp. tortisepalum var. tortisepalum		埤亞蘭	Taiwan
goeringii subsp. tortisepalum var. lianpan	Miscanthus Orchid	蓮瓣蘭	Southern Central China
kanran	Cold-growing Cymbidium	寒蘭	Southern China to Southern Japan Taiwan, Guangdong, Gunagxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hainan Island provinces of China; Honshu and the Ryuku Islands, Japan; and South Korea
faberi	Multi-flower Orchid, Miscanthus Orchid	蕙蘭, 九華蘭	Uttaranchal to Taiwan
erythrostyllum	Red Column Cymbidium	紅柱蘭	Vietnam
lowianum	Low’s Cymbidium	碧玉蘭	Burma, Thailand, Yunnan China and Vietnam
floribundum	Golden Leaf-edge Orchid, Golden-edged Orchid, Yellow Margin Orchid	多花蘭, 金棱邊	Southern China, Yunnan, Taiwan and Vietnam
dayanum	Phoenix Orchid, Tree Orchid, Day’s Cymbidium	冬鳳蘭, 冬風蘭	Assam of India; Eastern Himalayas; Sikkim; Thailand; Cambodia; Taiwan, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Yunnan of China; Vietnam; Borneo; Malaysia; the Philippines; Sulawesi; Sumatra; Ryukyu Islands and Southern Japan

Cymbidium floribundum (or pumilum) 多花蘭, 金棱邊 (Photo credit: orchidgalore)

According to the Culture Sheet for Cymbidium:

The Oriental value system for their temperate Cymbidiums works as follows: ^{11)12)13)14)15)}

• alba is the most coveted form
• next come flowers without contrasting features such as dots or streaks, pure green petals and sepals
• horizontal lateral petals, not opening upwards
• thick labellum tip, preventing it to open upward and expose the gynostemium
• fragrant flowers
• petal shapes define the floral type. There are five types and several species are typically used in their lineage: ¹⁶⁾
  • Bamboo-leaf shape: C. ensifolium, C. faberi, C. goeringii, C. kanran, C. sinense
  • Daffodil shape: C. faberi, C. goeringii
  • Lotus shape: C. ensifolium, C. faberi, C. goeringii, C. sinense
  • Plum-blossom shape: C. faberi, C. goeringii
  • Unique shape: C. ensifolium, C. faberi, C. goeringii, C. kanran, C. sinense
• Chinese growers aim for petals as those of plum blossoms: round in shape, minimum eccentricity. They include the daffodil, lotus and plum shape.
• leaves display a harmonious composition. Ornamental foliage cymbidiums can have erect to arching leaves, those that are grown for their flowers rarely have erect leaves because it obstructs the inflorescence. Many cultivar lines are purely bred for their variegation, e.g.: ¹⁷⁾
  • Claws: tips of leaves are golden, diluting towards the base
  • Golden laces: golden lines at the leaf edge
  • Silk lines: golden lines on the leaves

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Photo & Video Contributions

Those who are interested in contributing photos or videos can upload them to the Queensland Orchid International Facebook Group.

Excellent or exceptional photos and videos uploaded to the group may be featured in the following Gallery of this post to provide exemplary visual documentations of Variegated Oriental Cymbidiums.

Variegated Cymbidiums in TAIWAN

Variegated Cymbidiums in JAPAN

Please visit the post entitled “Variegated Oriental Cymbidiums 🌏🏯🎎🙏🌸💮” to see some excellent examples.

Variegated Cymbidiums in KOREA

Cymbidium goeringii from Green Tangerine by 오명석

Variegated Cymbidiums in Hong Kong

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Related Documents, Articles, Websites and Facebook Groups

• Variegated Oriental Cymbidiums 🌏🏯🎎🙏🌸💮 (queenslandorchid.wordpress.com)
• Ancient Chinese orchid cultivation: A fresh look at an age-old practice (researchgate.net)
• Fragrance Judging – American Orchid Society (aos.org)
• Cymbidium (en.wikipedia.org)
• Cymbidium (commons.wikimedia.org)
• Cymbidium sinense (orchids.wikia.com)
• Cymbidium kanran (orchids.wikia.com)
• Cymbidium dayanum (orchids.wikia.com)
• Cymbidium lowianum (orchids.wikia.com)
• Cymbidium floribundum (orchids.wikia.com)
• Asian Cymbidiums (homepage3.nifty.com)
• Asian Cymbidiums Culture and History Notes (orchidboard.com)
• Culture Sheet for Cymbidium (culturesheet.org)
• CYMBIDIUMS (dragonagro.com)
• Cymbidiums – Species and Hybrids (cloudsorchids.com)
• Protocorm or rhizome? The morphology of seed germination in Cymbidium dayanum Reichb. (ejournal.sinica.edu.tw)
• 第二届普宁兰展掠影 (forum.hmlan.com)
• ☆☆☆蘭藝用語與日文讀音☆☆☆ (chinaorchid.net)
• ☆☆☆國蘭評鑑標準☆☆☆ (chinaorchid.net)
• ☆☆☆國蘭栽培管理篇☆☆☆ (chinaorchid.net)
• 國蘭的起源和歷史 (chinaorchid.net)
• ☆☆☆蘭界最新動態☆☆☆ (chinaorchid.net)
• 蘭 花 病 毒 害 診 斷 與 預 防 (chinaorchid.net)
• 國蘭的施肥與病蟲害及農藥之使用 (chinaorchid.net)
• 分 株 與 移 植 (chinaorchid.net)
• ★★★國蘭線藝基礎簡介★★★ (chinaorchid.net)
• 線藝進化之基本架構 (chinaorchid.net)
• 天下第一香：中國蘭花及詠蘭花詩詞 (igotmail.com.tw)
• 中國蘭 (fororchids.net)
• 墨兰 (baike.com)
• 《中国兰》 (baike.com)
• 大花蕙兰 (baike.com)
• 中国兰 (baidu.com)
• 蕙蘭 (hulanshen.com.tw)
• 1207的國蘭 (flowers.hunternet.com.tw)
• 兰科植物学名汇总 Orchid Plant Scientific Name List (weisanli.com)
• 台灣國蘭聯誼社(Taiwan Cymbidium Club) (facebook.com)
• 台灣報歲蘭廣場(Taiwan Cymbidium Plaza) (facebook.com)
• 台灣山水畫圖斑藝蘭聯誼社 (facebook.com)
• 台灣二岸四地蘭花促進推廣總會 (facebook.com)
• 寶之林*蘭藝˙花草˙奇樹˙園藝˙論壇。 (facebook.com)
• 達摩藝蘭之家 (facebook.com)
• 國蘭天地~ (facebook.com)
• Queensland Orchid International (facebook.com)
• Cymbidium Society of America (facebook.com)
• American Orchid Society (facebook.com)
• King of Fragrance: Chinese Cymbidium Show (nmns.edu.tw)

Culture Notes

• Chinese Cymbidiums (firstrays.com)
• How to Grow Cymbidium Orchids (wikihow.com)
• Cymbidiums (collectorscorner.com.au)
• Growing Cymbidium Orchids (members.optusnet.com.au)
• WHY ISN’T MY ORCHID FLOWERING? (mosorchid.org)
• Growing Cymbidium Orchids (landscape-and-garden.com)
• Cymbidium Orchids Growing Guide (ebay.com.au)
• 9 Cultural problems (orchidsusa.com)

• Cymbidium Orchids Plant Care Guide
• The Rich Diversity and Symbolic Meaning of Orchids
• The Orchid
• Will My Orchid Last: 6 Quick Tips to Help You Evaluate an Orchid
• Cymbidium Orchids – August 2011
• Cymbidium Orchid From a Friend’s Greenhouse
• Cymbidium: Festival of flowers
• Aromatic Cymbidium tracyanum
• Peach Spray Roses, and Green Cymbidium Orchids

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