|
|
|
On
the way to Puncak, beginning from the tea
plantations, many orchid peddlers are seen lingering
on the sides of the road. Puncak is a popular
vacation spot to the people living in Jakarta, the
capital city of Indonesia, and is only within 2
hours of driving distance. With an altitude ranging
between 1,200 – 1,500 meters above sea level,
Puncak has a temperature range of approximately
18º to 28ºC.
Because of its popularity among the people of
Jakarta, many orchid peddlers choose this location
to market their merchandise. Similar
conditions apply to Lembang (near Bandung) West Java,
and Pujon (West of Malang) in East Java.
|
|
Another
reason is the fact that the region of Puncak is rich
in mountains, which are prime habitats of orchids of
various genera including Pteroceras, Grosourdya,
Liparis, Malleola, Micropera, Cleisostoma,
Sarcoglyphis, Gastrochilus, Epigeneium, Schoenorchis,
Dendrobium, Dendrochilum, Bulbophyllum,
Paphiopedilum, Coelogyne, Cymbidium and
more. A large portion of these types of orchids is
endemic to a certain habitat location and found
nowhere else. |
|
The
orchid peddlers obtain orchids from hunters, who
spend their days trekking back and forth into the
forests to search for these plants. They will
sometimes go into the forests for weeks at a time,
bringing with them all the supplies necessary. What
they find are then given to the peddlers, who add
makeshift packaging to the goods in form of Cyathea
glauca (tree fern) slabs or plastic pots and
utilizing chopped bark or tree fern, osmunda fiber,
or Selaginella moss as planting
compost.
This
provides the customer with the convenience of being
able to directly hang or otherwise attach the orchid
to a suitable fixture.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Sadly, life expectancy for these plants are
considerably low since they are indigenous to the high
lands and are thus unable to survive well in the low
lands of Jakarta.
They die
over a course of weeks or months due to improper
retrieval methods, climate changes, poor
cultivation, and mistakes in planting medium
selection. Many tourists from overseas also purchase
these orchids. I have seen quite a few Japanese,
Korean, and Caucasian buyers.
Due
to these reasons, it is recommended not to buy orchids
in this way since it is proving
|
|
destructive to the
environment and diminishing orchids in their natural
habitats. Many
of them are included in the list of
endangered plant species. However, for
certain types of orchids, such as the
Phalaenopsis amabilis - locally known as
anggrek bulan, one does not need to go into
forests to find them.
The
local settlers and farmers in the Puncak
area have cultivated these orchids in their
own gardens and yards without the flasking
method. They simply beat the ripe seedpods
against Cyathea slabs or coconut husks
without the use of the Knudson media. The
young seedlings are then attached to pieces
of hardwood or tree branches, coconut fiber,
slabs, or anything that is easily obtainable
and suitable. When fully grown these orchids
will appear, to the less knowledgeable, to
look just like the jungle collected plants.
|
|
 |
|