Plum petal

Sepals short round, with a small tip at the top, slightly curved inward (slightly pocket), narrow base, shaped like plum blossom petals, hence the name. The petals are short, with a fleshy pocket at the apex, and the edges are curved inward, embracing or attached to the column; the labellum is short and hard, sometimes attached to the column. There are many famous varieties, such as Song Mei, Wanzi and Jiyuan are the most prominent varieties in Chunlan. There are Tianxingmei, Yipin, Lvying, Fangzi, Xiaoshan Cai Mei, Yuyao first Mei and so on.

"choose for thousands of years". The outer three petals are short and round, shaped like plum blossom petals, tight edges, roots, holding petals short round, from pocket, holding end with "white head", lip (tongue) petal short round, straight, not rewind.

The plum petal flower is related to the degree of masculinization of the petal.

First, soft plum petal: hold the petal moderately masculine, hold the petal into nests, hold the heart round and smooth, white head or white edge obviously no milky yellow lump, most of the tongue flap is bangs, wishful tongue, outer three short round, tight edge.

Second, the soft plum petal: the masculinity of the plum petal is weak, the representative heart is pu fan, the outer three petals are round and flat, the bangs tend to be daffodils, and the orchid boundary calls them plum-shaped daffodils. Such as Chunlan, a kind of western god plum.

Third, the semi-hard holding plum flap: the holding valve is slightly more masculine, the end of the holding valve is milky yellow, and the tongue flap is mostly Ruyi tongue, round tongue. Such as Chunlan newly planted mandarin duck plum.

Fourth, hold the plum valve hard: hold the petal male, most of the petal is shoulder-to-shoulder or head-to-back, the outer three valves are round, pointed such as Italian tongue, dragon swallowing tongue, small round tongue. Such as Chunlan new species of festive plum.

Fifth, very hard to hold the plum petal: also known as "fist sea". The holding valve is extremely masculine, all the male holding flap adheres to the core column (nose), the tip of the tongue flap is small or even without tongue flap, and the outer three valves are short and round. Such as Chunlan Cuitao.

It is clear at a glance whether orchids are plum petals when they are in flower. Inexperienced orchids had better see flowers when buying plum-petal orchids. The best plum petal flowers should have a whole plum-like blossom, the sepals rounded just right, the petals soft and waxy, the lips moderately relaxed, round, firm and uncurled, the core column small and beautiful, bright red dots such as Yuanbao or zigzag, and with delicate fragrance or fragrance. Flat-shouldered, green plum petal orchids should be treasures, such as Songmei, Huangmei of Chunlan, Yipingmei of Sijilan and so on. The holding flap adheres to the core column, the tip of the lip is small, the outer three valves roll back or have no outer three lobes, the color is dark, not fragrant as the inferior grade.