The Secret Life of Lady Slipper Orchids
With the annual Orchid Show coming up at the New York Botanical Gardens, we wanted to take a moment to spotlight a curious specimen: the Paphiopedilum, or Lady Slipper Orchid.
Alien, strange, dark, sexy….these are all ways people perceive these seemingly mysterious plants. Some even assign them human qualities, such as faces or mouths. Customers often ask if they are carnivorous plants.
For orchid growers and collectors, “paphs”, as they are called, are the most cultivated and hybridized of all orchids. Native to South China, India, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands, paphs occur as terrestrial plants versus epiphytes like other orchids. This means they grow on the forest floor, rather than on trees or other bigger foliage. They occur in a spectrum of colors from golden yellow to deep dark purple. They are often festooned with stripes, speckles, and, in keeping with their human characteristics, feature “hair” on the edges of their leaves.
Lady Slippers, particularly the hybrids, are one of the most hearty of the orchid species. They require diffused light, like humidity, and can dry out between waterings. They like to be soaked thoroughly once a week, but do not like to sit in residual water. The bloom lasts about a month; once the bloom fades, the stem should be cut back. The mottled foliage remains. With proper care and fertilization, the plant will re-bloom again within the year.
Lady Slipper, post-bloom
We carry Lady Slipper Orchids regularly in the store. For those excited by a horticultural challenge, we sell the post-bloom plants at a discount.
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