blessings from the garbage: a taiwan love story, phal NOIDS

[catttan]

All these pictures of phals were taken at a nursery in Hong Kong just before the Chinese New Year. BTW these phals are imported from Taiwan. Thousands of these will be sold by the start of Chinese New Year, as they are considered to be lucky because the name for Moth Orchids is 'Foo Thip Lan' - 'Foo or Fook' is 'prosperity' in Cantonese. After the flowering is over the majority are destined for the garbage bin. In the pictures some of the shelves are already cleared. and this was a month before the Lunar New Year.

The man with eyes closed is the owner of the nursery (he has another in Hainan Island) and the other is Stefan Gale, co-author of the book 'The Wild Orchids of Hong Kong'

[jai_star]

I can't believe the price so cheap in Asia how i miss that !

[smurphr]

yew, isnt it amazing? i mean, it keeps taiwan's industry thriving but it is such a shame people dont bother to take care of them...especially in a climate that almost takes care of them for you as long as you dont leave them out in the summer sun!! thanks for posting the pics!

[smurphr]

AL, nice to have you chime in with your 'like'!!! it's been much too long since ive seen one of your razor sharp quips!!! good to see youre still out there!

[cdayinflorida]

dumpster diving at its finest

[mauraec]

I hope that at least some of those little orphaned phals will find a kind-hearted family to join. Yew Sung - what a display! These "disposable" orchids are magnificent as a sea of color! I'm so glad that, for at least a time, that they will be desirable for the good luck they bring. I would have to say that orchids have certainly brought me good luck - in finding OT and the members here who mean so much to me and are so kind.

Thank you for posting those photos. The gentleman who co-authored the book about the wild orchids must be a fascinating person.

[Kassie]

I remember seeing a short documentary online about a family owned greenhouse in China geering up for New Year's sales. It was very touching and beautifully done. I think it's been posted here before. . .
Found it!

[smurphr]

thanks trish!

[catttan]

I hope that at least some of those little orphaned phals will find a kind-hearted family to join. Yew Sung - what a display! These "disposable" orchids are magnificent as a sea of color! I'm so glad that, for at least a time, that they will be desirable for the good luck they bring. I would have to say that orchids have certainly brought me good luck - in finding OT and the members here who mean so much to me and are so kind.

Thank you for posting those photos. The gentleman who co-authored the book about the wild orchids must be a fascinating person.

Yes Maura, Dr Stephan W Gale is a very nice and unassuming young man and extremely well-informed about orchids especially the orchids of Southern China. Apart from his work in the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Gasrdens, he is also very much involved in the conservation and documentation of he orchids of Southern China. He presented a paper on orchid conservation at the recently concluded 20 World Orchid Conference in Singapore. Incidentally he is a colleague of my eldest son in the same establishment - Stephan in plant conservation and my son in animal conservation. Stephan brought me and my son to visit the nursery( in the pictures) _which has a very impressive collection of species.

[orchidsal]

Thank you Shane for the fine compliment..................I am not always equipped to quip, but from time to time we all need a little comic relief. Some people get relief with Maalox or Pepto-Bismol. I get relief with humor. As a famous author ( I know him as I know myself) once wrote......................'As the stomach churns and burns, so the world yearns for a little relief'. The End, AL