Muscat – More than four decades after orchid cultivation began in Salalah with imported seedlings, the Royal Gardens and Farms of the Royal Court Affairs has succeeded in propagating both local and foreign varieties through sustained research and experimentation.

The programme began in 1982 at the Royal Gardens and Farms in Bir Bint Ahmed and Qayrun Hayriti, where different colours, forms and varieties have been cultivated.

Dhofar’s relatively mild temperatures and high humidity provide favourable conditions for orchids, which thrive at temperatures between 18°C and 32°C and humidity levels ranging from 60 to 85.

Particular attention has been given to preserving a local orchid collected from Tawi Attir in eastern Dhofar and the mountains of Dhalkut in the west.

The native variety produces a flower stalk between 1.5 and two metres long, with relatively small flowers. Another variety cultivated by the gardens is shorter but produces larger, more vividly coloured blooms.

Ibrahim bin Ahmed Qatan, Director of the Technical Support Department at the Royal Gardens and Farms in Salalah, said several imported and hybrid orchid groups had also been successfully propagated.

These include Dendrobium, Vanda, Aranda, Oncidium, Cattleya and Phalaenopsis.

“Dendrobium is considered one of the most successful orchid varieties under Dhofar’s climatic conditions, followed by Oncidium,” Qatan said.

Propagation is carried out through several techniques, including tissue culture, cuttings, offshoots and lateral growths taken from mother plants.

The orchids are grown in specialised media such as charcoal, coconut material and tree bark, which help maintain moisture around the roots while reducing the risk of fungal and insect problems.

The long-running programme reflects an effort not only to cultivate ornamental varieties but also to conserve local genetic material and adapt orchid-growing techniques to Dhofar’s distinctive environment.