Paphiopedilum dianthum
Double flowered Paphiopedilum
Family Orchidaceae
About
A multi-flowered slipper orchid of limestone forests in China, Laos and Vietnam, with long, twisted, warty petals.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Not recorded. We have no source on whether this plant is safe for cats, dogs or other pets — that is not the same as safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked.
- People
- Not recorded.
- Light
- Shade-loving: roughly 1,000–2,000 foot-candles, such as an east or west window or a shaded south window. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Keep the mix evenly moist but never soggy; do not leave the pot standing in water. General guidance for the genus
- Humidity
- Moderate, about 40–50%; a tray of damp gravel helps, with steady air movement. General guidance for the genus
- Temperature
- Nights about 13–22 °C (55–72 °F), days 21–29 °C (70–85 °F); mottled-leaf and multi-flowered types prefer the warmer end, plain green-leaved types the cooler end. General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Fine to medium fir bark with perlite, sand or sphagnum; limestone-dwelling species appreciate added limestone chips or oyster shell. General guidance for the genus
- Pot
- Repot about every two years, or sooner if the mix breaks down. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Divide established clumps into groups of three to five growths; single growths may take time to flower. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
Four to six leathery green leaves. An upright or arching stalk up to 80 cm carries 1–5 flowers up to 10 cm wide: white dorsal sepal with green veins, long twisted striped petals with hairy warts, and a helmet-shaped lip.
Distribution & habitat
China, Laos and Vietnam, on limestone in forest.
Ecology
The petal warts and helmet-shaped lip appear to attract its main pollinator, the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus.
Conservation
Rare, with a small, fragmented population that is poached for the horticultural trade.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- China, Laos, Vietnam
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- Nights about 13–22 °C (55–72 °F), days 21–29 °C (70–85 °F); mottled-leaf and multi-flowered types prefer the warmer end, plain green-leaved types the cooler end.
- Humidity
- Moderate, about 40–50%; a tray of damp gravel helps, with steady air movement.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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