Interesting Orchids and Plants at Santa Fe Orchidarium, Nueva Viscaya

Interesting flowering plants, orchids, ornamental plants and tree fern by- products can be bought along road side stalls within the town of Santa Fe, Nueva Viscaya province.


roadside stall selling native plants, orchids, ferns and ornamental plants

This is my third time within Santa Fe in Nueva Viscaya province. My first visit was over 10 years ago, when a small group of friends decided to visit an old time native plant seller.


Prices had changed a lot thru the years. Compared to the last visit few years ago, there were less road side sellers. Probably due to the enforcement of DENR regulations and enforcement.


Dendrobium aphyllum which is locally called salome, fairy sanggumay , lesser sanggumay, dainty orchid by backyard growers.

According to a backyard growers, they usually attached the orchid to their mangoes trees or palm trees.


Some of the orchids, ferns and bromeliads were naturalized on large trees, palms and mahogany.


Dendrobium aphyllum ,Billbergia pyramidalis and other native orchids naturalized on a mahogany tree.

Some of the ferns, orchids and plants are not for sale. It is just for presentation and conservation purposes.


Bulbophyllum cephalophorum- This species are found between 600 meters to more than 1,200 meters in elevation Nueva Viscaya, Nueva Ecija, Ifugao, Benguet and possibly Apayao province.

Interesting Orchids and Plants at Santa Fe Orchidarium


anthuriums, aloe veras and ornamental plants were also for sale

One must be careful not to hoard orchids or plants, some of them cannot survive the hot lowland climate of Metro Manila.


Dendrobium aphyllum grown in tree fern slabs

As much as possible to avoid buying tree fern slabs and its by-products, since the tree ferns takes long time to mature and an endangered species by authorities. Although according to the one manning the orchidarium, Most of the tree fern slabs are already dead and thus collected.


Aeridres quinquevulnera with other native orchid species

Another common orchid species sold at the road side plant stalls were Dendrobium crumenatum or locally called dove/ pigeon orchid.

The flowers are fugacious, lasting only between 8 to 10 hours, looks like a flying dove or pigeon when closed.

Wrote a short article on the uses, ethno-botanical uses, superstitious beliefs on this orchid species. This is also widely sold and cultivated in many homes within Santa Fe.


Cymbidium finlaysonianum, Coelogyne species, Dendrobium aphyllum


The most common orchid species sold in Santa Fe were Dendrobium aphyllum, Dendrobium anosmum, Dendrobium crumenatum, Cymbidum finlaysonianum, Brachypeza pallida ,Brachypeza unguiculata, Renanthera storeii, Aerides quinquevulnera, Bulbophyllum, Cirrhopetalum species, Thrixspermum species, Phalaenopsis species among others.


Cymbidium finlaysonianum, Dendrobium amethystoglossum and Renanthera storeii


Pteroceras or Brachypeza longicalcareum and Micropera species

In our brief stop over, we were able to admire these plants and orchids. Some of them are in bloom , while majority of the orchids and plants do not have flowers.

Bibliographies, Sources,References:


Personal interview

Manual of Orchids, Stewart 1995

The Complete Writings on Philippine Orchids Vol 1 Quisumbing 1981

Philippine Orchid Review, Volume 15 No. 1 Traditional uses of the Dendrobium Orchids pages 13 to 17. ISSN 1908-871X

Orchids of the Philippines, Cootes Jim, Times Edition 2000

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