Protecting Philippine Plants is the right thing to do. Now that I have become aware of some issues affeecting various plants maybe I can find a way to help them survive and thrive. I wasn’t aware of the problems these plants are facing. It is so hard to imagine that Protecting Philippine Plants would even be needed, since it is so lush and beautiful here.
Well that is wrong. Plants are threatened, endangered, or vulnerable in some way. Knowledge that there is a problem is the first step in trying to solve it. Now Protecting Philippine Plants can become a focal cause and effort.
Background and Journey
Well, if you have read anything yet on this site or on my Facebook page, you know I am a foreigner and a new resident here in the Philippines. You may also know I love plants. Another thing, I love learning about plants, especially those I have never seen or kept before.
So, what do I do, I try to acquire the plants that I hear about, or those that I read about to see if I can grow them in my gardens here. All of this seems a logical path to follow, right? I happen to think so. So that is what I have done so far.
The plants
I have always wanted to keep Orchids and Bonsai. They are interesting, many various types, and the environment here if the tropics is a much better one for those plants than the frozen tundra I used to live in.
I also thought I wanted to try some bamboo for part of the landscaping choices and privacy in our gardens. Sure, there are other plants also. Actually so many plants that it is so hard to say NO MORE plants. I feel like a kid in a candy store. So off I went to get the plants of my dreams.
I used the web to find them, primarily groups focused on those plants of interest. Bonsai groups, Orchids groups, then Bamboo and Adenium groups. Yes, adenium too. I even found an interst in anthurium.
The next phase
I had my focus, I had some resources to find the plants, and off I went. Did I get too many plants? I am not answering that question since it is always relative. But what did happen while I was out on my acquisition quest?
I was offered all kinds of plants. I was told I could get seeds from plants I only dreamt of. It was all so good! Yeah, too good to be true really. Some of the plants were not the species I bought, some of the seeds were just bags of some random seed, some were not healthy, some were not packaged well for shipping.
My lack of knowledge and experience
Then it was my turn to have added issues. Some of the plants I couldn’t identify and I struggled to know how to plant them, how to care for them. Of course there was a moment when I got too many at one time. I mean who does that? I did apparently. So the struggles went on and new issues made themselves known. Not the right soil, not the right sun, not the right water.
Heck I thought I was so lucky when I found 2 different Bonsai Collections. All I could think of was I would receive healthy plants, the right species, and I could learn better. I would of course ask the seller some questions when the truck arrived. Yeah, no. The truck indeed arrived and as soon as it was unloaded and the plants paid for, they were gone and I was left alone with many potted plants.
The nurseries will make things easy
I even got nursery plants three times and struggled with planting.
First order, we were not yet ready to plant as the lot construction hit delays. while I tried to care for the potted plants in the middle of the construction, it didn’t go well. Plants died in their pots. Nursery plants are kept in rice hulls it seems. Great when watered, extremely dry if not watered daily. Our plants suffered the later watering technique.
Second order, of course I learned from the first one right? I ordered Bamboo. Thought ok, bamboo is tough, these plants are going to the edge of the construction space, and the construction is nearly finished. I didn’t think the bamboo was coming to my island on a ship. Then, I had to go to the port to receive the bamboo. You cant walk into the receiving area if you have sandals and shorts on. So we paid some guy to go and bring our plants to the gate.
We got them home, paid attention to watering and waited for he next construction delay to finish. It all worked out in the end, we didn’t lose any plants, and they are doing well now.
Third order, the construction was finished. The seller came by to quote a landscaping plant design then brought a team a few days later and planted them, more than we needed, therefore too close to each other. Bascially a bad experience and we had to separate plants later. As you might notice in the picture below, some are still packed tight.
Spending time to learn about the plants
I have been spending the last months trying to learn and catch up from a knowledge perspective. It hasn’t been easy, nor am I anywhere near done learning.
A recent discovery was a bit disheartening though. I came across a reference on line that said the Pemphis acidula or Bantigue was an endangered species. I was socked, I see them offered for sale all the time. These restrictions are to plants in the wild and I support that, but what about the plants already in the hobby or at someone’s hosue? So more research and learning. I have reached out to the Bonsai society and a few others. After receiving their responses maybe I will have a road ahead.
I am also putting together information here on these pages to inform myself and others about plants that need protection. When I looked into it more I found ther plants that are in trouble in the wild, it isn’t just the Bantigua, it is other Bonsai, Orchids, well many plants really. The more I look into this the better informed I feel I am.
I used to breed and keep endangered fish
Yes, I used to keep and breed fish when I lived in the USA. The fish came from Madagascar, Lake Victoria, West Africa and South America. I kept my CITES permit up to date and was very much into the preservation and keeping of these animals. I worked with the American Cichld Association back then, so this can be done. People in the community can help if they work at it and try.
Find a need, fix a need
So, why not try that here? Maybe I can somehow propagate plants that are endangered in the wild. Then I can give them away so others wont take from the wild or buy from Hunters that damage the natural habitat? Maybe seeds, It seems like there are so many opportunities to do something of value for the environment.
So what now? Well, now I need to figure out if there are groups that do these types of thing here in the Philippines. I discovered the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and will see what I learn there. Later, I contacted the Philippine Bonsai Society. I hope there is something I can help with. It is a worthy cause.
I love my plants. I can help ensure the plants are still in the wild for future generations.
Leave a Reply