Presenting

18 June | 2022 Feature Orchids from Thailand Among other things, ailand is known as the land of the orchids, or "Gluay Mhai." e export of cut orchids was initiated in 1963, with a few hundred-thousand sprays of mostly Dendrobium sent to European markets. It took off from there, and ailand became the largest exporter of cut orchids in the world. Orchids rank No. 1 among the several tropical ornamental crops that are important to the ai agriculture and economy. Asia has the widest variety of orchids of any part of the globe and, therefore, has the greatest potential for creating the modern hybrids that outshine their wild parents in beauty and value. Many of popular orchids we see nowadays are cultivated from wild ai orchids, including Vanda, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium and Paphiopedilum, among many other genera. Dendrobium 'Pompadour' is one of ailand's most famous orchid cultivars and is responsible for the country becoming the world's leading producer and exporter of orchids since 1979. The Aloha Spirit Hawaii is where beautiful tropical fl owers bloom under ideal conditions, including soil, rainfall, temperature, humidity, sunshine and fresh air. Hawaii is a state blessed with a rich and diverse environment of varied climate and altitudes, which makes the land ideal for growing tropical fl owers of all kinds. I spoke with Eric Tanouye, president of Green Point Nurseries in Hilo, Hawaii, who was excited to share about Hawaiian tropical fl owers. "We are most known for our beautiful Anthurium, which are available in a multitude of colors and sizes, and we also grow a large selection of tropical fl owers, foliage and ornamentals," he remarks. "We ship within the state of Hawaii, to the mainland [Continental U.S.], Canada and Japan. Tanouye is also the current president of the Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association (HFNA), which promotes the growing and export of Hawaiian fl owers and plants. "Flowers run deep in the Hawaiian culture," Tanouye explains. " ey are a big part of legends and folklore throughout the island's history." Flowers have important cultural meanings to the Hawaiian people. For example, the custom of adorning visitors to Hawaii with leis was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by early Polynesian voyagers. A lei is a symbol of love, friendship, celebration, honor and greeting. In other words, leis are a symbol of Aloha. Natives would gather fl owers from their yards and make leis or haku leis (traditional Hawaiian fl ower crowns) to celebrate all of life's milestones. Floral design by Lois Hiranaga, AIFD, CFD

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