Nearly 400 orchid species are on display at an exhibition that opened April 19 at Kunming Botanical Garden in southwest China’s Yunnan Province.

The exhibition, the second of its kind, is housed in the garden’s orchid pavilion, which is operated by the Kunming Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The exhibition consists of indoor and outdoor sections. The indoor display showcases wild orchid species, emphasizing conservation efforts outside their natural habitats. Outdoors, visitors can explore themed areas, including a biodiversity zone featuring an eye-catching giant silver slipper orchid art installatio

“Through this installation, we can understand the plant’s adaptive wisdom,” said Li Hanrun, an engineer from the Kunming Institute of Botany.

Since its establishment, the Kunming Institute of Botany has focused on the collection, research, utilization and conservation of orchid species, including studies on the physiology and ecology of several orchid species.

Photo shows orchids on display at Kunming Botanical Garden, which is run by the Kunming Institute of Botany under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan Province. (People’s Daily Online/Fu Hao)

The orchid pavilion, completed in 2020, houses over 600 species of orchids. The institute has launched rescue programs for 25 endangered wild orchid species with tiny remaining populations in China.

“We hope this exhibition will inspire more people to appreciate orchids for both their beauty and scientific value and rally greater support for biodiversity conservation,” Li said.