Papiopedilum orchid - care features
The papiopedilum orchid (papiopedilum) is most common in the countries of Southeast Asia. In nature, there are about 60 natural species of this plant, and the number of hybrids exceeds a thousand.
The name of this genus of orchids comes from the name of the goddess of beauty and love Venus, therefore it is called the Venus slipper. This is due to the fact that the lower lip of the flower is very similar to the toe of a lady's shoe.
The lower lip of the papiopedilum has a bizarrely curved shape for a reason. Nature skillfully adapted it so that the insect could not immediately get out of there, but getting out and getting dirty in the pollen along the way, promoted the reproduction of the orchid.
This genus of orchids lives on the ground, only a few epiphytic varieties and a small number of plants are known that have adapted to live on stones.
In indoor conditions, the papiopedilum orchid feels good, with proper care it blooms without problems every year.
To provide the Lady's Shoe with optimal conditions for growth and development, you need:
- diffused light, but placement in partial shade is also acceptable;
- protection from direct sunlight in summer;
- year-round temperature regime from +18 to +24 degrees;
- watering so that the substrate in the pot is constantly kept slightly moist;
- spraying the air around the plant from a spray bottle or placing the pot on a pallet with wet expanded clay;
- removal of water that has gotten during watering from the center of the outlet (if this is not done, then there is a high probability of decay);
- top dressing during periods of active growth of green mass and flowering with complex fertilizer for orchids.
Seeing the name of the orchid, at first I was confused, and then I looked closely at the picture and found out that it was Venus's Slipper. Yes, the flower is very nice, but it seems to me quite capricious.
I could not get along with him either, these orchids refused to bloom with me, although I observed the conditions.