VietNamNet Bridge – Wild orchids have been disappearing from the Central Highlands’ forests, as many of them are being picked to sell in urban centers.

People who want to decorate their houses with wild orchids don’t have to go to the deep jungle to look for beautiful plants, as they can easily buy orchids in Buon Ma Thuot City in Dak Lak province.

Orchids of different kinds are also available on the streets of Le Duan, Nguyen Tat Thanh and Phan Boi Chau. A small bunch costs VND30,000-50,000 and a bigger one  VND70,000-100,000.

The buyers cut some old roots and then put the plants into terra-cotta, wooden or plastic pots with charcoal and coconut fiber, or they graft the orchids onto living trees and water the orchids every day at home to grow new plants.

Quang, a local resident in Tay An Ward, said Buon Ma Thuot’s residents prefer wild orchids to planted orchids, because wild orchids are more beautiful and fragrant, while imported orchids are not.

Quang noted that wild orchids are increasingly being sold on streets, not only in Dak Lak, but also in Pleiku City, Gia Lai and Dak Nong provinces, and the flower city of Da Lat in Lam Dong Province.

Disappearing from forests

Wild orchids are available everywhere, mostly for sale on pavements. At some “pavement shops”, orchids are sold in kilos, priced at VND150,000-200,000 per kilo.

Decorating houses with orchids has become an elegant hobby not only of the rich, but common people as well.

Bui Van Le in Hoa Dong Commune, in Krong Pak district of Dak Lak province, who is an expert in orchids, said the beautiful plants have been gradually disappearing from the Central Highlands’ forests.

Le said there are hundreds of wild orchids in the Central Highlands, including very rare and precious ones. However, he fears precious orchid varieties will disappear.

Hoa, an orchid seller on Le Duan street of Buon Ma Thuot City, said in the past she picked orchids in the forests to sell, but now it was difficult to look for orchids as the plants had become rare.

“Only residents in Buon Don, Ea Sup and Krong Bong districts can find orchids now. I have to buy orchids from them for sale,” she said.

Nong Nghiep