Singapore names new orchid hybrid after Vietnam's Party leader and spouse

By VNA March 12, 2025 | 03:12 pm PT

Party General Secretary To Lam (3rd, L), his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (R) attend a ceremony to name a new orchid hybrid in Singapore, March 12, 2025. Photo by VNA

Singapore has named a new orchid species after Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, marked with a ceremony at the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Wednesday.

The naming ceremony took place as part of their official visit to the city state, with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in attendance. This is a prestigious diplomatic tradition in the country, reserved exclusively for distinguished foreign guests.

The flower has been officially named "Papilionanda To Lam Linh Ly", in honor of the Vietnamese Party chief and his spouse.

After signing on the guest book, Party General Secretary To Lam and his wife attached the nameplate to the orchid and toured the garden.

Singapore Botanic Gardens, established in 1859, holds the distinction of being Singapore's first UNESCO World Heritage site. It received this recognition in July 2015. The garden houses tens of thousands of orchids, including some 1,200 natural species and more than 2,000 hybrid ones, making it the world's largest orchid showcase.