Visitors browsing through the vast varieties of colourful orchids for sale at the Penang Botanic Gardens. – CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
THERE are new blooms in many households across the northern region after the Penang Orchid Festival made its long-awaited return.
With hundreds of varieties of orchids and other plants on sale, most visitors to the event held at the Penang Botanic Gardens could not resist taking home a pot or two.
Among them was artist Ch’ng Kiah Kiean, who purchased several types of orchids to decorate his house and serve as inspiration for his artworks.
“My condominium only gets morning sunlight, so orchids seem ideal,” the well-known sketcher shared when met at the festival’s opening day on Dec 10.
Another visitor, a housewife who wanted to be known only as Loh, said she visited the gardens frequently to exercise and was attracted by the sea of vibrant colours.
“I intend to get one. It’s good that the experts are around to properly advise us on how to grow these plants,” she said.
The vendors shared tips on the different species, different needs and helped allay visitors’ concerns, that orchids have a reputation for being tough to care for.
Charles Tan, honorary treasurer of event organiser Federation of Malaya Orchid Society (Fomos), said this was a common misconception.
“It’s actually not that difficult. The key is choosing the right species for your type of house, as some do better in shade while others require full sunlight.
“With the right watering regime and fertiliser, you should be able to see your orchids bloom every few months,” said Charles, who said he had been growing them since he was a child.
He said the dendrobium and mini orchids were the easiest for beginners to grow.
Augustfame sales and marketing manager JJ Tan said the mini variants were rather popular nowadays as they were easy to maintain and versatile, often thriving in terrariums.
“We’re seeing more demand for new species and cultivars. Events like this are a good platform for vendors like us to educate the public and help them make informed choices.
“Orchids are good house plants as they are non-toxic. But like any plant, they need love and patience,” Tan added.
Fomos has been organising the festival annually for almost 60 years but it had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. The last edition in 2019 attracted some 15,000 visitors.
This year’s event features 22 vendors and some 65 classes for the competitive segment.
Charles added: “We’re all delighted to be back here again and help cultivate local interest in growing plants.
On the festival’s second day, there was also a conference with Fomos president Tony Tan giving the opening address followed by several talks on orchid-related topics.
The event continues until Sunday and is open from 9am to 9pm daily.
