Thailand: The comeback of cacti and succulents

If the number of stalls selling a plant can be an indication of its popularity, then cacti and succulents are clearly back in favour. At Chatuchak midweek plant market there are certainly more vendors selling these miniature beauties than ever before. Many are species and hybrids newly introduced from other countries.

Not only that but after an absence of many years, if not decades, cacti and succulents are now making a comeback in plant exhibitions and contests. In fact, they occupy a place of honour at the Miracle of Plants Show now being held at The Mall Ngamwongwan in Nonthaburi. Twenty-seven genera of cacti and 13 of succulents are featured at the contest being held as part of the event. By comparison, orchids and bromeliads are represented by only 13 and five genera respectively.

In all there are 14 plant contests during the 10-day event, which opened at the MCC Hall on Friday. Competitions for the most beautiful adenium, aglaonema, foliage anthurium and orchids were held on Thursday before the venue was opened to the public. Plant enthusiasts will have until 6.30pm today (only until 6pm for orchids) to feast their eyes on the prize winners. The orchids alone are worth the trip to Nonthaburi, with 100 prizes given to different varieties of cattleya, vanda, ascocenda, dendrobium, paphiopedilum, phalaenopsis, oncidium, cymbidium and renanthera as well as native species and foreign hybrids.

Read more at the Bangkok Post