Singapore Botanic Gardens honor Aramco Asia with new orchid Papilionanda Aramco
Papilionanda Aramco, created by Singapore Botanic Gardens, was named on 9 September 2025 in appreciation of Aramco’s partnership with the National Parks Board to support the digitalisation of the Singapore Herbarium.
For many years, Aramco and the Garden City Fund, which is the registered charity of the National Parks Board (NParks) and an Institution of a Public Character (IPC) in Singapore, have forged a deep partnership. This has been rooted in the shared value of sustainability and a commitment to conserve the country’s natural heritage and ecosystems through the company’s contributions to the Garden City Fund.
Papilionanda Aramco: Symbol of partnership
As Singapore celebrates its 60th birthday this year, Aramco is proud to stand alongside the nation to honor its rich natural heritage and commitment to sustainability.
A new orchid hybrid has been dedicated to Aramco in appreciation of the company’s support for the digitalization of the Singapore Herbarium. The latter is housed within the UNESCO World Heritage Singapore Botanic Gardens and safeguards some 800,000 Southeast Asia plant specimens. Today, it is recognized as one of the largest and most important herbaria in thebiodiverse Southeast Asia region.
The timely dedication of Papilionanda Aramco orchid hybrid commemorates the flourishing partnership between Aramco and NParks, and the commitment of both organizations to preserving Singapore’s national heritage and ecosystems for generations to come.
Through its Global Citizenship Program, Aramco is committed to advancing initiatives that energize communities and contribute to shared prosperity. “Aramco’s generous donation of 1 million Singapore dollars toward the digitalization of the Singapore Herbarium collection will enable NParks to digitalize this invaluable collection, transforming one of the most important botanical archives in Southeast Asia into an accessible global resource,” said Hwang Yu-Ning, CEO of the Singapore National Parks Board.
Saleh Y. Al Zaid, Aramco Asia President, said: “On behalf of Aramco, we would like to thank NParks for this special honor. The Papilionanda Aramco is more than just a recognition; it is a testament to the flourishing partnership between Aramco and the Garden City Fund that is built on the shared value of environment stewardship.”
The Papilionanda Aramco is a robust Papilionanda hybrid that produces strong, upright sprays about 30 cm in length, each bearing between eight and 11 large, striking flowers measuring 9 cm across. The sepals and petals display a white base softly suffused with pink toward the edges, adorned with irregular magenta-to-purple spots and markings that radiate outward in a stellar pattern reminiscent of the energy burst in the Aramco logo. The gently undulating margins form a graceful, rounded silhouette, complemented by a
prominent rose-red lip and a delightful fragrance that enhances the overall beauty and elegance of each flower.
From left to right: Dr Jana Skornickova, Keeper, Herbarium & Principal Researcher, Plant Taxonomy, Singapore National Parks Board (NParks); Dr Yap Him Hoo, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Professional Development & Service Cluster, (NParks); Ms Hwang Yu-Ning, Chief Executive Officer, (NParks); Mr Ahmed M AlKhunaini, Senior Vice President, Sales & Supply Planning, Saudi Aramco; Mr Saleh Y AlZaid, President, Aramco Asia and Ms Fai K AlDossary, Managing Director, Aramco Asia Singapore.
Digitalization enhances biodiversity management
This year, the Singapore Botanic Gardens has embarked on its plans to digitalize the Singapore Herbarium, or SING Herbarium as it is known among botanists. When completed in 2027, the online database will be the largest digitalized collection of specimens in Southeast Asia to date.
“An important aspect of our culture at Aramco is our commitment to understanding and protecting ecologiecological habitats,” said Fai K. Aldossary, Managing Director of Aramco Asia Singapore. “We are proud to join NParks in their effort to ensure the long-term preservation of plant knowledge, and to advancing critical research and conservation efforts for future generations.”
Aramco’s support for the Singapore Herbarium digitalization project provides researchers worldwide with access to high-resolution images of specimens and associated data, facilitating global knowledge sharing and collaboration. This will advance botanical science, plant conservation, and various applied research, including studies on extinct species or those not yet formally described.
