Phichit gardener showcases THB500,000 desert rose
The Big Aui Chuan Chom Garden in Phichit province attracts flower lovers nationwide with over 1,000 decorative plants, including the signature “Phet Aiyada” desert rose that gets offers for half a million baht.
Surachet Sanguansub, owner of the botanical garden located in Pak Thang subdistrict, said that he had started this business in 2011 by growing decorative plants, such as heart of Jesus and devil's ivy.
“My friend gave me a few pots of desert roses and said they were hard to grow, so I tried growing them for a decade and selling them to those who were interested in this plant.”
Desert rose (Adenium obesum) is called “Chuan Chom” in Thai, which roughly translates into “worthy of admiration”. They are small tropical plants that can withstand heat and require change of soil only twice a year. Desert roses are highly popular among garden enthusiasts in Thailand due to their vibrant colour and their shape resembling miniature trees.
“Desert roses from Big Aui Garden have won several awards throughout the country, especially the Phet Aiyada breed, which costs from a hundred thousand to several hundred thousand baht,” said Surachet.
Surachet decided not to sell an eight-year-old Phet Aiyada desert rose despite being offered THB500,000 for the plant. Instead, he keeps it as a breeder plant for customers looking for baby desert roses for their gardens, as well as to provide seedlings to farmers who are interested in growing desert roses.
Surachet said the income from selling seedlings alone generates about THB100,000 a month.
For more information, visit Facebook @AdeniumBIGAUI
