After several months in Singapore, I realized that I had never really seen the orchid Vanda Miss Joaquim, the national flower of Singapore. I have already been to the botanical garden which is one of the classic attractions in Singapore but I did not pay much attention to this flower. I told myself it would be nice to go and see it in detail, especially now that we can go directly to the botanic gardens via the subway.
Once at the Botanic Gardens, I went straight to Singapore Orchid Garden, paid the five dollars to get in and I looked for this national flower of Singapore. Fortunately, no need to look long, the location of the national flower is directly indicated on the signs.
Vanda Miss Joaquim
Orchids have a special status for the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Since 1870, a program exists to expand the collection of orchids. Many hybrids have been created especially for celebrities traveling to Singapore.
Vanda Miss Joaquim
The orchid Vanda Miss Joaquim is a hybrid between Vanda teres, a species of Burma and Vanda hookeriana a species of Malaysia. It was discovered by Agnes Joaquim in 1983 (we do not really know if she found the flower or did itself the cross) then showed that H. N. Ridley, director of the Botanical Garden at that time who described it.
Vanda Miss Joaquim
The flower Vanda Miss Joaquim was selected as the official flower in 1981 among forty flowers ( including 30 orchids). It was chosen because of its vibrant colors and its resistance, which represents the values of Singapore and also due to its ability to bloom throughout the year.
Vanda Miss Joaquim
Vanda Miss Joaquim is a sun-loving flower and need high humidity and heavy fertilizing. The flower also need a vertical support to grow freely, and flowering begins when the stem grows above 50 cm.
The orchids Vanda Miss Joaquim on vertical support
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