Oman Successfully Cultivates Diverse Orchid Varieties in Salalah

Oman’s Royal Gardens and Farms Successfully Propagate Orchids in Salalah

Muscat: The Royal Gardens and Farms of the Royal Court Affairs have successfully propagated local and imported orchid varieties in Salalah following years of experimentation, research and development.

The initial cultivation of orchids at the Royal Gardens and Farms began in 1982 at nurseries in Salalah using imported seedlings. Propagation and production subsequently expanded to include a range of orchid varieties distinguished by different colours, shapes and characteristics at the Bir Bint Ahmed and Qayrun Hayriti farms in Salalah.

Dhofar Governorate provides suitable climatic conditions for orchid cultivation, with temperatures ranging between 18 and 32 degrees Celsius and humidity levels of 60% to 85%, conditions conducive to the growth of the flowers.

The Royal Gardens and Farms have also focused on preserving and propagating local orchid varieties collected from Tawi Atayr in eastern Dhofar and the Dhalkut Mountains in western Dhofar.

The local variety is distinguished by a flower stalk measuring between 1.5 and 2 metres in length and relatively small flowers compared with hybrid varieties. Another variety is shorter and produces larger flowers with more vibrant colours.

Engineer Ibrahim bin Ahmed Qatan, Director of the Technical Support Department at the Royal Gardens and Farms in Salalah, said several orchid varieties have been successfully propagated, including Dendrobium, Vanda, Aranda, Oncidium, Cattleya and Phalaenopsis.

He noted that Dendrobium is among the most successful varieties cultivated under Dhofar’s climatic conditions, followed by Oncidium.

Orchids are propagated through several methods, including tissue culture, cuttings, offshoots and lateral growths from the mother plant.

The plants are also cultivated using growing media such as charcoal, coconut material and tree bark, which help maintain clean and moist roots while reducing the risk of fungal and insect infestations.

The successful propagation programme contributes to preserving local orchid varieties while expanding the cultivation of imported species suited to the climatic conditions of Dhofar Governorate.