Thailand has more varieties growing naturally than any other country on earth. And that is the origin of the orchid in Thailand – nature.

 

To elaborate, it is important to understand a little history of the origin of the Thai orchid and the research that has gone into the flower over the years. Although human activity like deforestation have brought have led to the destruction of the natural habitat of the plant and even made some orchids extinct, countless more remain.

 

The first study of the amazing orchids of Thailand was done in 1779. A Danish student-researcher called Konig collected plants in a place called Siam, some of which are still preserved in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 1899 a naturalist called Koh Chang also collected and studied orchids in Koh Chang. Incidentally, these two researchers only studied about 400 species of orchids.

 

The domestication of the Thai orchard can be attributed to an Irishman called Kerr who lived between 1877 and 1945. Kerr not only collected and grew Thai orchids; he also illustrated them and shared his images with other researchers. Later, Kerr and his team were given scientific equipment to advance their botanical research on orchids and other plants.

 

Since then a lot of work and resources have been invested in identifying, preserving, growing and marketing the Thai orchid. The Orchid Association of Thailand has been at the forefront of popularizing the plant. In essence, the Thai orchid flower is a native species.