Those blooming orchids by Ravi Ladduwahetty
Tissue culture answer for high yields. Attractive returns, Sri Lanka has stopped exports as prices in local market is thrice more.
Those blooming orchids. Yes. They are in full bloom all right. It is an aura of radiance and the diversity of colour in the true sense of the word. It is the ensuing drama of procuring the attention of those who adore them. They are incontrovertibly for the mushy.
They range from Dendrobiums to the Ascoscendas and Mokaras. Some see them purely for commercial aspects that rush them into the five star hotels and other exotic places for the pure market value while others seek tranquility at their serenity.
The venue is veteran orchid grower and administrator L.S. Wanigatunga’s abode at Kirulapone. He has well over a half an acre in his back garden where the individual number of plants is well over 15,000. His collection keeps on growing. He has been at it for years and is an authority.
There is Red Ascoscendas. Ascoscenda Lester James Peries, a hybrid of Vanda Tessalata as the parent. It is a pretty flower and it is almost takes the shape of a perfect circle. It is in deference to his wish of naming after the icon of Sri Lanka’s celluloid world- the legendary Lester James Peries.
A tribute to another legend, singing virtuoso Nanda Malini. It is also another hybrid between Vanda Tessalata, which is known popularly as the Anuradhapura orchid as it grows predominantly in the North Central Province in areas like Anuradhapura and Medawachchiya, Horowpathana, Habarana and also in Maho and Galgamuwa in the Kurunegala in the North Western Province and the Thai variety- Ascoscenda Thananchai. It is a very colourful variety and meant for the usage of cutflowers.
For the benefit of the curious, Ascoscenda is a hybrid between Ascocentrum and Vanda which becomes a new genius and an inter-generation hybrid. It is free flowering with around 10 spikes annually. Ascoscendas are more free flowering than Vandas.
Sentiment also knows no bounds and there are also two orchids, which have been named after his grandson. The first is Vanda Tharindu Wanigatunga, which is a hybrid between Vanda Tessalata and Vanda Keeree. It is more used for the purpose of natural beauty rather than for cut flowers, as they are not freely flowering. The second one is Dendrobium Tharindu Wanigatunga, which is free flowering and used as a cut flower whose yellow and greenish yellow are very popular among the connoisseurs
It is the Cattleyas, which are deemed as the queen of orchids, which are large and pretty, and they too are not long lasting and meant only for their natural beauty and aesthetics.
Among his favourites is the hybrid between Vanda Coerulea and Vanda Kasem’s Delight, which is a strap Vanda that has around three flowers for the entire year.
There are also the flowers, which are hybrids, which lie in his garden, which have their origins in Thailand. They are very attractive. They are Dendrobium Chaleng MaiPink.
There are the Dendrobiums, which are bright reddish, and shiny which are distinctly different from the rest of the Dendrobiums. This one is Dendrobium Messina, which has been hybridised with a hybrid of Jaqualine Convert and Mary Mok.
There is also the free flowing Vanda Tessalata which is free flowering which gives around 10 -12 spikes a year
The Mokara varieties are very popular and Wanigatunga advises growers that this has tremendous potential in export markets, as Dendrobiums are grown in mass scale by Thailand Malaysia and Indonesia for large-scale exports to Korea, Japan and Europe in large quantities.
No exports now
In a queer paradox, Sri Lanka’s exports are minimal with the advent of the open economy. With the expansion of the hotel industry, there has been a proliferation of suppliers there for the rooms and also those who make special cartons for tourists to take back home.
So, he says, the exports, which were done prior to 1982 through Lakmalsala, have stopped now. The prices locally are three times more. They are regular.
Hybrids
It is the hybrids, which are expanding the growth of the orchid species. However, producers are advised to buy the hybrids from experts due to quality issues. There are the hybrids, which have around 5000 seeds which are deemed all right in the industry for which the costs are around Rs. 25,000.
However, the danger is that there could be instances where there are around 25,000 seeds in the hybridized varieties which is deemed excessive and there could be side effects such as the lesser number of flowers per spike. It could be less as two or they could go up to between 10 and 12 if the correct hybridizing techniques are used.
Tissue culture the answer
The answer to the problem is tissue culture. One could ensure that the high quality of the hybrid seeds are propagated and maintained through tissue culture, which could ensure that yields are high.
Vocational training
He is willing to impart his knowledge for unemployed youth, of whom he said, could enjoy the benefits of attractive methods of revenue through this environmental friendly past time, especially for Samurdhi beneficiaries.
Those blooming orchids. Yes. They are in full bloom all right. It is an aura of radiance and the diversity of colour in the true sense of the word. It is the ensuing drama of procuring the attention of those who adore them. They are incontrovertibly for the mushy.
They range from Dendrobiums to the Ascoscendas and Mokaras. Some see them purely for commercial aspects that rush them into the five star hotels and other exotic places for the pure market value while others seek tranquility at their serenity.
The venue is veteran orchid grower and administrator L.S. Wanigatunga’s abode at Kirulapone. He has well over a half an acre in his back garden where the individual number of plants is well over 15,000. His collection keeps on growing. He has been at it for years and is an authority.
There is Red Ascoscendas. Ascoscenda Lester James Peries, a hybrid of Vanda Tessalata as the parent. It is a pretty flower and it is almost takes the shape of a perfect circle. It is in deference to his wish of naming after the icon of Sri Lanka’s celluloid world- the legendary Lester James Peries.
A tribute to another legend, singing virtuoso Nanda Malini. It is also another hybrid between Vanda Tessalata, which is known popularly as the Anuradhapura orchid as it grows predominantly in the North Central Province in areas like Anuradhapura and Medawachchiya, Horowpathana, Habarana and also in Maho and Galgamuwa in the Kurunegala in the North Western Province and the Thai variety- Ascoscenda Thananchai. It is a very colourful variety and meant for the usage of cutflowers.
For the benefit of the curious, Ascoscenda is a hybrid between Ascocentrum and Vanda which becomes a new genius and an inter-generation hybrid. It is free flowering with around 10 spikes annually. Ascoscendas are more free flowering than Vandas.
Sentiment also knows no bounds and there are also two orchids, which have been named after his grandson. The first is Vanda Tharindu Wanigatunga, which is a hybrid between Vanda Tessalata and Vanda Keeree. It is more used for the purpose of natural beauty rather than for cut flowers, as they are not freely flowering. The second one is Dendrobium Tharindu Wanigatunga, which is free flowering and used as a cut flower whose yellow and greenish yellow are very popular among the connoisseurs
It is the Cattleyas, which are deemed as the queen of orchids, which are large and pretty, and they too are not long lasting and meant only for their natural beauty and aesthetics.
Among his favourites is the hybrid between Vanda Coerulea and Vanda Kasem’s Delight, which is a strap Vanda that has around three flowers for the entire year.
There are also the flowers, which are hybrids, which lie in his garden, which have their origins in Thailand. They are very attractive. They are Dendrobium Chaleng MaiPink.
There are the Dendrobiums, which are bright reddish, and shiny which are distinctly different from the rest of the Dendrobiums. This one is Dendrobium Messina, which has been hybridised with a hybrid of Jaqualine Convert and Mary Mok.
There is also the free flowing Vanda Tessalata which is free flowering which gives around 10 -12 spikes a year
The Mokara varieties are very popular and Wanigatunga advises growers that this has tremendous potential in export markets, as Dendrobiums are grown in mass scale by Thailand Malaysia and Indonesia for large-scale exports to Korea, Japan and Europe in large quantities.
No exports now
In a queer paradox, Sri Lanka’s exports are minimal with the advent of the open economy. With the expansion of the hotel industry, there has been a proliferation of suppliers there for the rooms and also those who make special cartons for tourists to take back home.
So, he says, the exports, which were done prior to 1982 through Lakmalsala, have stopped now. The prices locally are three times more. They are regular.
Hybrids
It is the hybrids, which are expanding the growth of the orchid species. However, producers are advised to buy the hybrids from experts due to quality issues. There are the hybrids, which have around 5000 seeds which are deemed all right in the industry for which the costs are around Rs. 25,000.
However, the danger is that there could be instances where there are around 25,000 seeds in the hybridized varieties which is deemed excessive and there could be side effects such as the lesser number of flowers per spike. It could be less as two or they could go up to between 10 and 12 if the correct hybridizing techniques are used.
Tissue culture the answer
The answer to the problem is tissue culture. One could ensure that the high quality of the hybrid seeds are propagated and maintained through tissue culture, which could ensure that yields are high.
Vocational training
He is willing to impart his knowledge for unemployed youth, of whom he said, could enjoy the benefits of attractive methods of revenue through this environmental friendly past time, especially for Samurdhi beneficiaries.
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