The cultivation of Chinese cymbidiums has a long history in China dating back to more than a thousand years ago. Chinese cymbidiums are commonly known as 'Lan' (兰) or 'Guo Lan' (国兰) in China.Lan has a special appeal and meaning to the Chinese as it symbolizes integrity, modesty and nobility. Confucius praised Lan as the 'Gentleman of Noble Virtue' (君子之风) and 'King of Fragrance' (王者之香). The love and appreciation for and growing of orchids have, in fact, become an integral part of Chinese culture known as the 'Lan Culture'.The book starts with the history of Lan and its association with Chinese culture and traditional customs, literature and the arts. This is followed by a description of the biology of Lan and cultivation practices of past and present. Finally, the prospects and future of Lan are presented and discussed.

Over the past ten years, the orchid industry is growing at a steady pace in the South East Asia and East Asia regions. In some Asian countries, orchids have become an essential export item. To maintain this progress, there is an urgent need for a book that is relevant to the region orchid growers in improving their cultivation and management skills, and to guide new students in understanding orchid physiology. This book provides a comprehensive account of tropical orchid physiology relevant to commercial growers, research workers and graduate students. An integrated and unifying theme of tropical orchid physiology, with a clearly written factual text and illustration, is presented over nine chapters. Each chapter is designed to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date information on an aspect of orchid physiology. This book complements the existing scientific literature available to improve orchid cultivation and to set new research agenda especially in the tropics.