JOIN USAbout 120 varieties of orchids were displayed at the Orchid Exhibition organised by The Orchid Society of Karnataka (Toskar) at Lalbagh on Saturday.
The flowers were of all hues - ruby red, pale pink, purple, yellow and white; some rare and a few endangered, the dappled beauties conjured up a land of the wild and the exotic for the visitors.
The objective of the exhibition was to educate people on common orchids found in the Western ghats, Sadanand Hegde, president of Toskar told Deccan Herald.
“The popular belief is that orchids cannot be grown in our country. However, there are many varieties of the flower found in India. We have not been able to develop orchid cultivation while other countries such as Britain have picked the skill from us and are doing well,” Hegde said. He added that the climate in Bangalore was suitable for orchid cultivation.
The orchids put on display in the exhibition were not imported but were those cultivated by the members of the society. One of the endangered species of orchid on display was the Vanda Coerulea, the trading of which has been prohibited. Other varieties commonly found in China and Thailand were also on display.
A workshop on orchid cultivation was organised on the occasion. A book titled ‘A beginners guide to orchid cultivation’ was released at the event. The exhibition will conclude on Sunday.