Flowering of Singapore's most exotic exports: Orchids
"There were a lot of rich individuals becoming interested in orchids, in owning a famous orchid. It was a status symbol," said Dr Teoh, an obstetrician and gynaecologist now in his 70s.
A stalk of coveted orchids, such as the prize-winning Vanda Tan Chay Yan, could cost $5,000. The period from the 1950s to the mid-1970s was the springtime for orchid-growing here. Orchids cultivated in Singapore won prizes at global fairs and were in demand overseas.
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