The rare orchid called “Fah Mui Noi” was found in a dry dipterocarp forest in Chiang Dao district, Thailand. - The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK: Thailand’s national parks agency said a rare orchid was found in Chiang Dao district in northern Thailand and later flowered in a nursery, reigniting conservation hopes.
Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has revealed the story of “Fah Mui Noi” (Vanda coerulescens), a rare orchid that was believed to have disappeared from the wild, after it was unexpectedly found in a dry dipterocarp forest in Chiang Dao, 70km north of Chiang Mai.
In early December 2025, a plant survey team from the herbarium under the DNP’s Forest and Plant Conservation Research Office was conducting fieldwork when they noticed a Vanda-type orchid clinging to a dry branch that had fallen onto the forest floor.
Although the species could not be identified at first, the team recognised its potential value and decided to take the plant back to a nursery for care and further study.
A month later, on Teacher’s Day (Jan 16, 2026), the orchid produced a flowering spike and bloomed profusely—revealing white petals tinged with purple and a cool, refreshing fragrance that spread through the area.
After detailed examination, researchers confirmed it was “Fah Mui Noi”, known botanically as Vanda coerulescens Griff — an epiphytic orchid that had previously been declared extinct in the wild.
The DNP said the orchid’s story is striking: once considered a beautiful species that was not difficult to find, its wild population later declined rapidly until it was placed on an extinct list.
However, hope returned after continued study by the Department of Agriculture found that some populations still existed in certain natural forests.
As a result, the species was removed from extinct status, although it remains classified as a rare plant requiring strict conservation.
In Thailand, Fah Mui Noi is found in the North, while overseas it has been recorded in north-eastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and southern China.
The DNP said the rediscovery is not only good news for plant conservation, but also a reminder that Thailand’s forests still hold valuable natural treasures that deserve protection.
Sometimes, the agency noted, what people believe has vanished may still exist somewhere—waiting for the chance to bloom again, much like Fah Mui Noi, which flowered on Teacher’s Day as if nature itself were offering a powerful lesson. - The Nation/ANN
