Vanda Miss Joaquim
Vanda Miss Joaquim was chosen as Singapore's national flower in 1981. The designation of a national flower was part of an overall effort to foster national pride and identity.
Singapore has the unique distinction of being the only nation to have a hybrid as its national flower.
The choice of an orchid as Singapore's national flower is most appropriate because orchids have long been identified with Singapore.
And no orchid is more worthy of being Singapore's national flower than Vanda Miss Joaquim as it is the first
registered plant hybrid from Singapore.
History
This orchid, a hybrid between Vanda hookeriana and Vanda teres is hardy and free flowering. It was described by the first director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens Mr H.N. Ridley in 1893, who named it after Agnes Joaquim. Ridley wrote that the plant was the results of a cross made by Miss Joaquim.
Features Of Vanda Miss Joaquim
A strong inflorescence of Vanda Miss Joaquim may carry up to 12 buds, usually with four flowers open at a time. Each flower is about 5 cm across and 6 cm tall, and as is the case with its parents, the petals are twisted around so that the back surface faces front. The two petals and the top sepal are rosy-violet, and the lateral sepals are a pale mauve. The lip is very large and broad and the middle lobe extends out loke a fan. It is coloured violet- rose, merging into a contrasting fiery orange at the centre. Over the orange patch, the lip is finely spotted with dark purple. It is free-flowering.
Growing The National Flower
Vanda Miss Joaquim requires full sunlight, free air movement, high humidity and heavy fertilising to achieve optimum growth and flowering. It needs support to grow straight and tall but it flowers only when the top of its stem rises above the support. It is a robust, sun loving plant with slender stems best grown in beds against post supports.
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