20 | April | 2014 | Collectors Connection

Mr. Ramon Calado Farm Revisited

Posted on April 20, 2014 by rence chan

Antipolo City, Rizal Province-Philippines

Aerial plants like Tillandsia ionantha , orchids, hoyas and dischidias greet every visitor to his farm

Happy Easter to all avid readers! During my pilgrimage to Antipolo City on Maundy Thursday – April 17, 2014. We happened to know a common friend and decided to make an appointment with Mr. Ramon Calado.

Ascocentrum miniatum from Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia

Mr. Ramon Calado is a breeder of orchids ( for at least 40 years !) and ornamental plants. He is also into ornamental fish keeping and i saw two 20 gallon of red cherry shrimps . I know that there are some serious orchid collectors which resides near or within Antipolo City . Personalities like Tita Betty Duterte, Mr. Arsenio Sy, Dr. Glen Bulmer ( just passed away ) Ms. Girlie , Mr. Nonito Dolera , Mrs. Adelia R. Angeles ( decease ) among others.

Asplenium musifolium ( Cobra )

I have met him several years ago when he was the guest speaker in one of the orchid and garden shows that i have attended. I did not know anything about Mr. Calado until my father who use to work at Federal Agricultural Company in San Miguel , Bulacan told me that he use to be one of the prime movers and technical consultant at the orchid farm. The farm was established in the early 1990’s within the agricultural estate of the Typocos .

begonias

We used to visit the orchid farm in the early days of the operation and bought some Dendrobium University of Hawaii white variety . It was the fad among orchid collector and backyard grower in our place several years ago. The flowers are long lasting and had a sampaguita ( faint smell) which the housewives and backyard growers adore.

medinilla seedlings

orchid seedlings in community pots

There are some regular buyers of orchid seedling from different parts of the Philippines and foreign buyers. His orchid hybrids can withstand the intense rainfall and have acclimatize under Philippine condition – that is ‘why’ some farm owners would buy his stock of orchid seedling on a regular basis. They are more hardy compared to the imported Dendrobium hybrid seedlings from Thailand.

Vanda Manila

Euanthe sanderiana

I am really amazed with such a small space and area, The combined lot area is is barely 600 square meters- ( 2 lots) can accommodate all those orchid seedlings and ornamental plants plus all those hanging tillandsias, hoyas and dischidias!