[Lam_wn]

Hello,
just wanted to gather some opinions and information for an assignment. Appreciate any frank opinions..

1. I guess most growers invariably culivate local species - Nep growers have N.raff/amp/gracilis, bulbo lovers may have a vaginatum/medusae in their growlist somewhere... other gardeners select plants for more observable attributes.. but is deliberate collection of plants which are native to Singapore something of interest to any gardeners? - or is it even something that we would give half a mind to do?

2. I know societies/clubs is a kind of cliche thing.. but er, just wanted to collect opinions on the idea of a native plant society which promotes the conservation and cultivation of native plant species..

3. Is lack of awareness the key factor to why so few native plants are cultivated? - if one was more aware of which plants in a given selection are native, and which are not, would one be more inclined to go for a native species? - or is this factor totally redundant? (or perhaps rephrased - can there be, at all, any motivation for cultivating native species?)

Thanks for the help!
Lam

[islaverde]

I am interested in native flora that has gone extinct since the past 100 years

[Orchidaceae]

As for me I prefer to grow species plants that can be found in the wild, and more towards plants that are native to our region,..
Am not very keen on hybrids, esp man-made ones, the motivation for me to grow native species is that the plants can thrive in my corridor without much care.

[Lam_wn]

thanks for the responses! definitely seems like its more of a thing among the more serious collectors... how about the average gardener taking on such an interest?

[Lim Lik Rong]

i only grow those that are free flowering n nice flower kinds. most of my plants are easily found in singapore.

[AhSeng]

1) I grow some local plants and some non-native plants. I grow any plant that is a curious thing to me. some herbs and some plants which I feel is worth a $ or two, so that I can sell them later :blush:/> , or maybe exchangable.

2)seems like a good idea. why do you call it an assignment ? someone ask you to do this ?

3)Maybe lack of awareness may be a factor, other possibilities may be lack of source. I think many nurseries will stock plants that are more profitable or useful in some ways such as herbs, some local plants will be of low priority. so these plants are not stocked, but you may want to find them. and nurseries are importing ornamental plants. anybody growing local amps , confirmed local one ? anyone wants to plant the local wild growing spathoglottis , when better quality ones are available at the nurseries? Anyone want to plant the Singapore wild type durian or D24 durian ? The motivations of people are varied.

[Chawanmushi]

If U are referring to the general public who is interested in planting and growing, the motivation to select what plants to put in his/her garden would not be that the plants are native to Singapore. Most of the time it would be what interests the gardener and what is easily available to beautify the garden instantly. Even when we visit garden centres and nurseries in Singapore, many a times plants may not be labelled properly nor do they indicate if the species is native in origin. If the plant does not appeal to the gardener then native of not ... it will not have a place in the gardener's heart.

I guess the motivation to collect and grow native species of plants would not be from a general gardener but from the horticulture community. People who take the pain to know the story and origins of the plant .... maybe from the educational perspective ... this is to understand the growing environment of native plants to cultivate them in their gardens.

As for conservation purposes ..... definitely it will have to come from the Horticulture Community .... LOL

[Greyfingers]

I buy a beautiful plant and try to maintain it beautiful. I wouldn't care if it is native or not, but preferably plants that would survive in our climate. But sometimes plants that I know nuts about and still try to keep it alive! :hysterical:/>

[Ben Naden]

My 2 cents worth:

1. I do grow orchids and some other species that are synonymous which are endemic to Singapore but I get them mostly from overseas. I find them hardy and can grow in a variety of weather conditions. Bulbophyllum vaginatum, Arundina gramminofolia & Dendrobrium crumenatum are those that are "Pak Buay Si" kind. Quite frankly they are not the exotic kind of species and may not attract a lot of interest but I like them when they bloom which can be gregarious. Some of my observations as follows:

Dendrobium crumenatum - The India variety produce slightly larger flowers compared to the local ones.
Arundina gramminofolia - I've seen many color and pattern variations in flowers from various parts of South East Asia so I always make it a point to photograph them.

2. Conservation and cultivation of species may have conflicting objectives so its important that we are aware. I did not quite catch your original intent. Are you suggesting driving more awareness in endemic species or promote growing these species?

3. I guess it's a function of demand and supply. If nurseries were to sell them but nobody wants them then its not viable. Once again, the local species are not exactly that exotic to species collectors.

This post has been edited by Ben Naden: 08 April 2012 - 09:06 PM

[Andsoforth]

Well, i think that it is really due to the lack to knowledge of the native vs exotic topic. People sometimes have this thinking that exotics are more attractive and easy to grow but we all know that that's not the case:-) Probably all we have to do is to educate them proper and nurseries should do their part to help consumers identify natives. I myself would prefer to grow natives only but sometimes, i just don't know where to get them.

[exotic n easy]

I think likewise, people usually don't give a second thought to native plant or exotic plant, or species, natural hybrid or artificial hybrid kind of thing, be it in landscapes or house garden, unless you tell/show them what benefits them to growing native species or natural hybrids as compared to exotics or artificial hybrid, usually from you which they respond with a shocked face and exclamation saying they are not aware of this...and when you ask them to list out some native plants, you get sometimes get non native landscaping plants as answer..

[siaogu]

I have a tendency to move into exotic species in my collection. However, I do keep a few native ones. It's like an unknown voice at the back of my head mocking me if I cannot keep local species and yet collect foreign exotic species.

Now everyone knows how I feel that I cannot even grow Bulbophyllum varginatum properly.

Vincent