MARDI

The star attraction at the Agro Technology Park in MARDI Cameron Highlands must surely be its pergolas of Butterfly Jade Vine and Lady Slipper vine, both displaying spectacular cascading flower trusses. The Lady Slipper vine or also know as Clock Vine or Doll’s Shoes is a native to India and its spectacular yellow and reddish-brown flowers that hang in pendent racemes are exotic indeed.

Even more exotic looking are the turquoise claw-shaped flowers of the Butterfly Jade Vine which resembles a butterfly when two flowers are put together. The pendent-like trusses can carry up to 75 or more individual flowers and can reach up to three metres long.

Other lovely and showy display of blooms enticing visitors for a photo or two are its colourful busy lilies, roses and dahlias. The centre also grows and displays a variety of other exotic sub-tropical flowering plants, herbs, highland fruits and vegetables including strawberries, and potted plants for sale.

MARDI Cameron Highlands was established by the Malayan British administrators in 1925 and was then known as the Federal Experimental Station for agricultural produce. The Agro technology Park is located within the station and was officiated in  2003. The park houses some of the oldest tea bushes in the country which was grown here during experimental stages when the plant was introduced in the country in 1925 . It also has experimental greenhouses for temperate fruits such as apples and persimmons.

The Agro technology Park which is about a kilometre from Tanah Rata also boasts an English Garden, strawberry farm and production centre, vegetable and cut flower production, green house research facility and the sales centre.

It even offers accommodation in the form of f ‘English Cottage.’