GEORGE TOWN, Sept 2 — When Clarence Tang was nine, his father brought home a few orchid plants after joining the Kedah Orchid Society — sparking a lifelong passion in the young boy.

Today, 42 years on, Tang has a collection of some 800 pots of orchids at his home.

“When I first saw the orchids, I liked the flowers, so I started learning to plant and collect them at the age of nine,” he told Malay Mail.

Collecting orchids, he said, is not just about watering them but requires constant, careful attention to ensure the plants thrive and flower.

Tang spends about two hours daily tending to his collection — watering and adding fertiliser — which takes up much of the garden around his Penang home.

“I have more than 100 varieties of orchids, from lowland to highland types,” he said.

The hobby is a family affair too.

“My wife and children love orchids as well, so they help me care for the plants,” he added.

Tang, who is vice-president of the Federation of Malaya Orchid Society (Fomos), is far from the only serious collector with hundreds of pots at home.

Fomos president Tony Tan said he himself has more than 1,000 pots of orchids spanning hundreds of varieties.

“Most serious orchid collectors have many varieties and hundreds of pots at home,” he said, adding that many enthusiasts come from affluent backgrounds as they need ample garden space.

“Collectors also travel overseas in search of rare varieties to bring back,” he said.

This is why the annual Penang Orchid Show always draws huge crowds, as enthusiasts throng the event to snap up rare and hybrid orchids.

The Penang Orchid Show 2025 will run from September 20 to 28 at Straits Quay from 10am to 10pm, with about 800 pots of orchids on display.