Vanda Miss Joaquim aka Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim

Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim no doubt the first hybrid to be registered by the female orchid hybridiser -Miss Agnes Joaquim residing in Singapore. The description of the plant of Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim was described by Henry Ridley, published in Gardener’s Chronicle, June 24, 1893, p740
” New or Noteworthy Plants- VANDA MISS JOAQUIM[ Inter V. hookerianam et V. teretem proles hybrida]

A few years ago, Miss Joaquim a lady residing in Singapore well known for her success as a horticulturist, succeeded in crossing Vanda hookeriana Rchb.f., and V teres, two plants cultivated in almost everygarden in Singapore. Unfortunately no record was kept to which was used as the male. The result has now appeared in the form of a very beautiful plant quite intermeida between the two species and as I cannot find any record of this cross having been made before, I describe it herewith.”

Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim is a free flowering plant which do very well in open area in sunny Singapore. Regular fertilizing would ensure plenty of flowers throughout the year.

This start the very colourful journey for Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim. This beautiful hybrid is chosen to be Singapore National flower in 1981. But till this days there are still talks on the uncertainties on the origin of its parentage.

Whose account is fictious or real, you would have to judge for yourself. These can be seen in the internet and publications such as follows:-

Malayan Orchid Review Vol 33/1999

Malayan Orchid Review Vol 38/2004

Biology of Vanda Miss Joaquim

Internet:- http://www.amassia.com.au/debate1.htm#Background to the debate

The following are some of the Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim’s related stamps and postmarks

Postmark – Still Road

Postmark- Lim Ah Pin Road

Postmark- Simpang Bedok

Postmark- Jalan Kayu

Postmark- Ngee Soon

Postmark- Bukit Panjang

Postmark- Serangoon Road

Postmark- Queenstown

Postmark- Macpherson

Postmark- M3

Postmark- C11

Postmark- Tanglin

Postmark- Sembawang

Postmark- Owen Road

Postmark- Towner Road

Postmark- Paya Lebar

Postmark- Killiney Road

Postmark- Sepoy Lines

Postmark- Kampong Glam

Postmark- Kampong Glam

Postmark- Registration

Postmark- K

Postmark- Singapore

Postmark- Keppel Harbour

Postmark- Thomson Road

Postmark- Newton

Postmark- Katong

Postmark- Geylang

Postmark- Taman Jurong

Postmark- Maxwell Road

Postmark- Joo Chiat

Postmark- Farrer Road

Postmark- Kandang Kerbau

Postmark- Alexandra Road

Postmark- Bukit Timah

Postmark- Queen Street

Postmark- Siglap

Postmark- North Canal Road

Postmark- Serangoon Garden

Vanda tricolor or is this a new species or hybrid?

This beautiful vanda is brought from a local nursery who imported this plant from Indonesia as vanda tricolor, when this plant was flowering in 2008 thought it may be the pesticides which cause the flower to be deform but the 2nd round of bloom yield the same shape again. The lip does not look like the other vanda tricolor.The petals are reflexed and they do have a little twist.

This vanda is fragrant and is grown in a 70 % light conditon.

The following are the flower in different angle.

Dimension of the flower

Dimension of the flower

Dimension of the lip

Vanda hastifera

Vanda hastifera is found in various parts of lowland, coastal and hill forrest of Borneo. Although it is observed that the plant bloomed in December in Borneo but it bloomed in September and sometimes other months in Singapore.

The photo shown below is the typical variety. There is another variety which is var gibbsiae.

Side profile of the flower. One can see the hairy lip which is a distinctive feature of this var hastifera.

Close up of the lip.

Dimension of the flower.

Another pic of the dimension of the flower.

Vanda ustii

Vanda ustii is found in Nueva Vizcaya in Philippines. It was initially treated as another colour form of Vanda luzonica and is only offically described in 2000. This impressive plant is very free flowering in Singapore.

There are 2 forms that are cultivated in Singapore. One form is clear pristine yellow petals, the other has a faint blotches at the edge of the petals.

Form without faint pink blotches at the edge.

Form without faint pink blotches at the edge.

Form with faint pink blotches at the edge.

Form with faint pink blotches at the edge.

Form with faint pink blotches at the edge.