Skip to content

Paphiopedilum glaucophyllum

Shiny green leaf paphiopedilum

Family OrchidaceaeAlso called Tropical lady's-slipper

About

A terrestrial slipper orchid from Java and Sumatra that blooms in succession, opening a new flower as the previous one falls.

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
Mature size
30–45 cm tall.

“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.

Field notes

Morphology

Grows 30–45 cm tall with narrow, waxy blue-green leaves about 30 cm long. Flowers 8–11 cm wide have a green-and-purple striped dorsal sepal, twisted hairy petals, and a pouch-shaped lip dotted pink-purple. Blooming lasts from spring into winter.

Distribution & habitat

Endemic to Indonesia: eastern and southwestern Java (including Mount Semeru) and central Sumatra.

Read the full article on Wikipedia →

Habitat

Altitude
Not recorded
Altitude class
—
Native to
Indonesia

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.

Crossed P. glaucophyllum with another species?Register the cross. If it's not documented yet you'll be the first contributor; if someone already registered it, you'll be taken there to add your photo.