Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam

[Maggi Young]

Calvin was around the Forum the other day, Mick, so I think he is home....why not  email him ?

[Maren]

Hi, I went to Northern Thailand orchid hunting with Peter Williams of Mae Tang Orchids. It was wonderful. I appreciate that you don't want to join a tour but you may find that he can give you some guidance on where to go and when. Try him here:

 theorchidman@hotmail.co.uk.

[Calvin Becker]

Hi all

I am indeed back from an incredible trip. I was away for 6 weeks broken down into:

• 2.5 weeks in Vietnam travelling from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon (north to south)
• 1 week in Cambodia
• 2.5 weeks in Thailand touring the south and the islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea

I didn't have too much time to do any dedicated botanising trips but I did manage to visit the Flower Park in Dalat, Vietnam where there are vendors selling all manner of plants including Cymbidiums, Paphiopedilums and vireya Rhododendrons.

Nurseries were fairly difficult to find because they are situated quite far out of the towns and with the language barrier, it was almost impossible to tell a taxi to take you there. There are plenty of people growing Chyrsanthemums in Vietnam in preparation for the new year celebrations that will be happening in late January/early February.

I was in Cambodia at the end of the rainy season and so there was standing water everywhere. What was really nice to see that just about every roadside pool, ditch and pond is filled with Nymphaea sp and Nelumbo sp. Many restaurants and shops have pots and other ornamental containers filled with water and holding waterlilies and/or Nelumbo as well as tropical fish. After speaking to the local people (who are generally Buddhist)and asking why everybody has at least one water garden, they informed me that the waterlily is revered as a sign of the passage of Buddha and Nelumbo root is dried and used to make a tea.

Crinum sp are popular everywhere as pot plants and are used extensively as landscaping plants in all the coastal areas of the three countries. Thunbergia grandiflora/laurifolia was a common climber in Vietnam and was often draped across the entrance to restaurants.

Caladiums of every imaginable form and colur were present everywhere in Thailand and were often used in displays at the entrances to restaurants and guest houses.

South African plants seen on the trip included Scadoxus puniceus as a pot plant on a boat in Halong Bay, northern Vietnam and in Bangkok, a Drimiopsis sp. with spotted leaves in pots on the islands in the Gulf of Thailand and Crinum moorei in Bangkok.

Bonsais are common, especially in the Buddhist temples and were often of gigantic proportions.


Pictures of all to follow shortly!

[Hristo]

Calvin, sounds like an interesting trip indeed, looking forward to your pictures.

[Calvin Becker]

Here are the pictures as promised:

1 is an example of the pots that just about all bonsai specimens are in. Wish I could have brought a few back with me!

2-7 are some of the many bonsai specimens that are present at all Buddhist temples throughout the three countries.

8-9 are some of the different Ixora sp. that are used extensively as landscaping and hedging plants.

10 is a patch of Portulaca growing at the roadside on Koh Samui, Thailand.

[Calvin Becker]

Dalat is a city in the central highlands of Vietnam. It's cool climate means that it is the horticultural centre of Vietnam and vegetables and flowers are grown everywhere. There is a garden in the centre of the city called Dalat Flower Park that has mass displays of beddings plants plus many orchids and also has plants for sale to the public.

[Calvin Becker]

Near the central market in Dalat is a street lined on both sides with flower and plant vendors. One side is purely cut flowers and the other has people selling plants.

1-2 are views of the vendors and their stalls.

3-4 is a terrestrial orchid that I didn't know the name of.

5-6 are another unknown terrestrial orchid species.

7-8 are some of the vireya Rhododendrons offered for sale.

9 - a Dischidia sp I think (?)

10- one of the many Cymbidium varieties available.

[Maggi Young]

Oh! My woird.... I thought the bonsai were fabulous enough but....

are some of the vireya Rhododendrons offered for sale.

..... Vireyas for sale in a market... just like that!! Be still my beating heart!!  

[Calvin Becker]

And now on to the Paphiopedilums. All these plants were available from the roadside vendors or at the Dalat Flower Park at approx US$3-5 per plant. There were no labels on any plants and trying to communicate anything beyond the price was impossible so I don't know the names of any of them unfortunately. If only I could have taken them all home!

[Calvin Becker]

I know the feeling Maggi! Those Paphs were just incredible and I still dream about getting my hands on them!

[Calvin Becker]

1 & 2 are a few more Paphiopedilums.

3-6 are a few of the more interesting Caladium varieties grown as pot plants throughout Thailand.

[cohan]

great to see these--especially the plant markets are very interesting-orchids are not surprising, the cacti and succulents are a little! must be fun but very frustrating to not be able to take any with you!

[angie]

Hi, Must have been an amazing trip , those bonsai's were amazing.
Its hard when you see all the plants that you have longed for freely available and you cant buy them, still it must have been lovely to see them at the markets.

Angie

[Tomas]

3-4 is a terrestrial orchid that I didn't know the name of.

9 - a Dischidia sp I think (?)

3-4: I think it is Calanthe, probably cardioglossa - very nice pseudobulbs...
9 - definitely Aeschynanthus hybrid (family Gesneriaceae).

[Hristo]

A fascinating trip Calvin, the Paph stalls an eye opener, wish my local flower market had such plants!
Many thanks for you effort in sharing these sights with us!!