Blue Vanda (vanda coerulea)

                                                  เรื่องโดย ดร.สันติ วัฒฐานะ สำนักวิจัยและพัฒนา องค์การสวนพฤกษศาสตร์

      Blue Vanda (vanda coerulea) is the most commonly planted of all the Thai orchids, regarded as the relative queen of Vanda orchids which normally have light blue and purple square printed petals. The size of the full bloom is between 4 to 8 cm and the whole flower is around 60 cm in length. Blue Vanda is usually found in the forests across northen Thai region , India , South of China and Mymar, and the bloom can last for months ,between July and December.
      Its physical beauty is fastal, evidenced by the number of Blue Vanda in the forest dramatically decreasing. As a consequence,its genetic development has become weaker and insufficient to survive ; as there is a small number of this flower, the reproduction among the orchids that are genetically connected occurs, resulting in unhealthy flowers.



     Blue Vanda was authorized by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). However,since 2003 ,its has become more commercial. Regarding this issue,Queen SIrikitiBotanic Garden has launched several campaigns concerning the sustainable conversation of orchids since 1995.



The Best way to preserve plants is to allow them to be treated within their natural surroundings without any disturbance so their evolution can proceed naturally. However, since these plants have been dramatically disturbed by man, cetain species need to be kept in the botanic garden so that they will not become extinct.



      Normally,this orchid Blue Vanda grow in evergreen forest areas located 1,000 - 1,600 meters above sea level. The observation of the Blue orchid Vanda number grow within the botanic garden area started in 2006 and data indicated that there is only a small number left, espacially those which are ready to reproduce. In other words, its nimber within a natural environment is small even though the forest is fertile. Sadly a 30-meter-high tree was found cut down recently with five kind of orchid specific clues indicating that over 10 Blue Vandas trees had been taken away right after the tree was cut down.



      An effective way to prevent the reoccurence of such circumstances is to involve people in the community who reside close to the forest area, and in this respect a specific project has been in operation since 2008 with the cooperation of Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Pong Yaeng subdistrict Administration and Pong Krai villagers, Pong Yaeng Subdistrict,Mae Rim,Chiang Mai,Thailand.

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