:: Premium Orchid ::

A tough, hardy plant, it is easy to propagate. It loves heat, humidity and sunshine. It flowers throughout the year under these conditions. It can grow to a man's height. and usually carries up to 12 buds, with four flowers open at a time.

Discovery

The flower is named after an Armenian lady, Agnes Joaquim in 1893. She lived in a large house with extensive grounds at 2 Narcis Road, off Tanjong Pagar. One morning, 39-year-old Agnes was walking alone in the garden.

She stumbled upon a new orchid flower growing amidst a clump of bamboo. It was round and full, of a delicate light purple and it was flowering out of season. It looked like the Vanda teres and had a dark purple lip like the Vanda hookerana.

A very happy and excited Agnes took it to the Director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens who confirmed that it was a new orchid.

How the flower looks

Each flower is 5cm across and 6 cm tall. The back petals are twisted to face front.

The two petals and the top one are rosy-violet. The back petals are a light mauve.

The lip is very large and broad and the middle lobe extends out like a fan. It is a violet rose colour with a fiery orange and dark purple spots at the centre.

What you can use it for

Vanda Miss Joaquim is ideal for button-holes, corsages, leis and flower arrangements. The best time to cut the sprays is when the third flower on the stem is two days open, and has reached its deepest hue.

Choose only the unblemished flowers. Take care not to knock off the pollen when you handle the flower. If the pollen fall off, the flower fades quickly and gives off a gas. In an enclosed space, for example a gift box, the flowers around it will fade.

To refresh the flowers, make an oblique cut on the stem under the water and leave it to soak for a few hours. Remove the blooms singly if they are to be used for buttonholes, bouquets and garlands.