Rare orchids have bloomed in Pu Luong special-use forest.

Rare orchid branches named pink jade orchid, belonging to the orchid genus - one of the most valuable medicinal orchid groups in Asia - have bloomed in Pu Luong special-use forest, Thanh Hoa province.

A branch of the Phalaenopsis orchid with pink veins blooms in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Thanh Hoa province - Photo: Provided by the Pu Luong Nature Reserve Management Board.

According to the Management Board of Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Thanh Hoa province, during field surveys conducted in 2024 and 2025 as part of a scientific research project by the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, a team of Vietnamese and Russian scientists discovered a rare orchid species in Pu Luong Nature Reserve.

That is the Anoectochilus roxburghii orchid (scientific name: Anoectochilus roxburghii ), belonging to the Anoectochilus genus - one of the most valuable groups of medicinal orchids in Asia.

The Phalaenopsis orchid, with its striking dark green leaves and beautiful metallic veins, is not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly valued in traditional medicine.

Young Phalaenopsis orchids in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Thanh Hoa province - Photo: Provided by the Pu Luong Nature Reserve Management Board

Research by scientists indicates that this orchid species contains many valuable bioactive compounds such as kinsenosides, flavonoids, and polysaccharides, which may support the treatment of diabetes, hepatitis, and immune disorders.

In Vietnam, this orchid species is scattered across several high-altitude regions with humid climates, such as Nghe An, Lang Son, and Lam Dong provinces.

The discovery of the pink-veined jade orchid in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve not only enriches the reserve's flora but also affirms Pu Luong's important ecological role in maintaining the biodiversity corridor between the Northwest and North Central regions of Vietnam.

A mature Phalaenopsis orchid in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Thanh Hoa province - Photo: Provided by the Pu Luong Nature Reserve Management Board.

According to researchers, the pink-veined jade orchid is facing a serious risk of decline due to deforestation and climate change.

This species has been classified as critically endangered in the 2024 Vietnam Red Book and is included in Appendix II of the CITES Convention, requiring strict control in international trade.

Currently, conservation efforts in nature reserves and the breeding of this rare orchid species are limited and face many difficulties.

Therefore, scientists and management agencies need to intensify investigations and assessments of population size; develop conservation models, and combine them with community livelihood development to preserve and develop this rare orchid species.

Pink jade orchid in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Thanh Hoa province - Photo: Provided by the Pu Luong Nature Reserve Management Board

Enriching the flora in Pu Luong

According to Mr. Le Thanh Huu, deputy director of the Pu Luong Nature Reserve Management Board, during a botanical survey in the Khuyen stream area, Co Lung commune, the trail to the summit of Pu Luong, Thanh Son commune, and the Son Ba Muoi area, Lung Cao commune, at altitudes ranging from 200m to 1,650m within the reserve, scientists recorded approximately 40 plant species in flowering and fruiting states.

Among the many orchid species, the newly discovered pink-veined velvet orchid enriches the valuable flora of Pu Luong.

The Pu Luong Nature Reserve covers a total area of ​​16,986 hectares, located in five highland communes of Thanh Hoa province: Pu Luong, Co Lung, Hoi Xuan, Phu Xuan, and Phu Le.

This nature reserve is home to 908 animal species and 1,597 plant species. It is also the area that has been developing the most in Thanh Hoa province's mountainous forest ecotourism industry with the brand name "Pu Luong".

HA DONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hoa-lan-quy-hiem-da-no-tren-rung-dac-dung-pu-luong-2025111717395212.htm