The evaluation of germplasm resources and genetic diversity are important aspects of modern breeding, and core germplasm with excellent comprehensive traits and clear genetic background is crucial for Cymbidium ensifolium breeding.Using 109 C. ensifolium accessions as materials, eight quantitative traits and nine qualitative traits were measured. An evaluation model was constructed using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to calculate comprehensive scores. Meanwhile, PCR amplification was performed with 24 pairs of SSR primers to analyze population genetic parameters and conduct UPGMA clustering. The results showed that floral traits were the core of ornamental value (weight 0.5730), with petal type being the most critical indicator (weight 0.3350). Based on comprehensive scores, three Grade I accessions (all of lotus-type) and 18 Grade II accessions (mainly lotus-type and plum-type) were selected. SSR analysis detected 94 alleles, indicating rich genetic diversity within the population (PIC=0.655). The observed heterozygosity (Ho=0.612) was higher than the expected heterozygosity (He = 0.465), suggesting possible outcrossing events. Clustering analysis divided the population into seven groups, revealing partial correspondence but notable discrepancies between phenotypic (AHP) and genotypic (SSR) clustering. This indicates that key ornamental traits such as petal type may be controlled by a few major genes, while SSR markers reflect the neutral genetic background. The AHP evaluation system established in this study clarified the central role of petal type in C. ensifolium breeding. SSR analysis revealed rich genetic diversity and an active hybridization background within the population. Through systematic comparison of phenotypic and genotypic clustering results, a breeding strategy of "primary selection based on phenotype combined with optimization of genetic background" was proposed, providing a reference for core germplasm screening, marker-assisted breeding, and parental selection in C. ensifolium.