“Cheng Lan Beauty” NCKU anniversary autumn orchid exhibition is now open and will be on display at the Cheng Kung Campus Main Library B1 until November 12.

The “Cheng Lan Beauty” NCKU anniversary autumn orchid exhibition is now in full bloom. It is being held at the Main Library B1 of the Cheng Kung Campus and runs until November 12. The exhibition features Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis, and Cattleya orchids, among other fragrant varieties. A major highlight this year is two orchids that took 3–4 years of cultivation to complete, named “Purple Angel” and “Cheng Mei” by former university presidents Ma Che-ju and Su Hui-chen respectively. These are now available for limited pre-order, adding further brilliance to this year’s exhibition.

The overall champion of the NCKU 93rd anniversary orchid exhibition is a bright orange Swan Orchid with a labellum resembling a swan’s neck. It features 12 flowering spikes blooming simultaneously, with a remarkably symmetrical form—an extremely rare achievement.

The NCKU anniversary autumn orchid exhibition is jointly organized by the NCKU Orchid Research and Development Center and the Taiwan Orchid Growers Association. It has been held for 13 consecutive years and is well known in the orchid industry, becoming a must-visit annual event for orchid enthusiasts. This year’s grand champion is a striking orange Swan Orchid cultivated by Mr. Jian Guofu. The exhibited plant features 12 flower spikes blooming together with a highly uniform shape, making it particularly exceptional.

The “Cheng Lan Beauty” anniversary orchid exhibition, held for 13 consecutive years, is a multidisciplinary exhibition integrating research, technology, industry, and culture.

The opening ceremony was held on the morning of November 6. Professor Yang Youwei, spouse of former NCKU President Ma Che-ju, attended in person to witness the commercial propagation milestone of the orchid named “Purple Angel,” originally named by President Ma. Professor Tsai Wen-jie of the Orchid Research and Development Center delivered remarks on behalf of Director Chen Hong-hua, expressing gratitude to all contributors who made the exhibition possible. Attendees included Dean Wang Yu-min of the College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, faculty members, industry professionals, and orchid enthusiasts from Japan, the United States, the Netherlands, and other countries.

The NCKU anniversary orchid exhibition held its opening ceremony on the morning of November 6.

Professor Yang Youwei (left), spouse of former President Ma Che-ju, attended in person to witness the commercialization of the orchid “Purple Angel” (center), named by President Ma Che-ju. On the right is Dr. Chen Wen-hui, advisor to the NCKU Orchid Research and Development Center.

The NCKU Orchid Research and Development Center is also a member of the American Orchid Society (AOS). This year, a five-member AOS judging team was invited to serve as judges and to host an “Orchid Judging Workshop,” aiming to pass on judging skills to younger generations. The AOS team noted that the NCKU orchid exhibition has a long history. While Phalaenopsis and Cymbidium typically bloom in spring, many orchid genera bloom in autumn, making cultivation more challenging. Therefore, AOS pays close attention to NCKU’s autumn exhibition, marking their third visit.

The century-old American Orchid Society (AOS) pays close attention to NCKU’s autumn orchid exhibition, marking its third visit this year.

The Taiwan Orchid Growers Association noted that 225 orchid plants were submitted this year, a scale comparable to the spring orchid exhibition. Dr. Chen Wen-hui, 81 years old and an orchid researcher for over 40 years, commented that NCKU’s autumn exhibition features more diverse orchid species than the spring exhibition and includes many fragrant varieties, making it a highly distinctive event.

A white Vanda orchid on display at the “Cheng Lan Beauty” exhibition emits a plum blossom-like fragrance. Visitors are warmly invited to experience its scent during the exhibition period.

The “Cheng Lan Beauty” orchid exhibition not only showcases orchids but also hosts seminars and workshops, making it a multidisciplinary event integrating research, technology, industry, and culture. Orchids are an important industry for Taiwan with strong development potential and future international prospects. A white Vanda orchid on site emits a plum blossom-like fragrance that varies in intensity between morning and afternoon. Visitors are warmly invited to experience the exhibition, which is open Monday to Friday 9:00–17:00, and weekends 9:20–17:00.

Orchids cultivated over 3–4 years, named “Purple Angel” and “Cheng Mei” by former Presidents Ma Che-ju and Su Hui-chen respectively, are now available for limited pre-order.