Kampung redip: A tiger orchid cultivated by an Orang Asli resident here since 2011 has bloomed for the second time, eight years after its first flowering, drawing visitors eager to buy it despite the owner's refusal to sell.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, smallholder Razali Ayeh, 51, said the vividly coloured orchid, scientifically known as Grammatophyllum speciosum, was particularly special to him as he had found it as a seedling in the forest and had nurtured it for more than a decade.

Razali shared that the residents were eager for its flowering. It first bloomed in 2018 and has now produced its beautiful striped petals again. He mentioned that some visitors, upon witnessing its bloom, have expressed interest in purchasing it. However, he remains firm in his decision not to sell, attributing his attachment and its rarity as reasons.

He discovered the seedling after it fell from a tree while he was working near Pos Hau, about an hour from Kampung Redip. He brought it home as a decoration for their settlement, which is a focal point for visitors due to its homestays.

Among the three orchid plants at his home, only one is the native tiger orchid he found in the forest. Razali expressed his appreciation for forest flora, finding the orchid relatively easy to care for by maintaining its green stems and pruning the older ones.

To ensure its growth, Razali avoided planting it in a pot, allowing it space to grow and using coconut coir in an open area for sufficient sunlight. The native species, also known locally as the 'sugarcane orchid', is admired for its long, segmented stem.

Currently in bloom, the orchid stands as one of the attractions in Kampung Redip, a destination that also offers homestay facilities to visitors.