About
A mottled-leaved slipper orchid found only on Luzon in the Philippines, named for the eye-like purple spots on its petals. It is a parent of various cultivated hybrids.
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
A medium-sized, semi-terrestrial plant with three to five leaves 9–24 cm long, green with darker mottling above and purple-spotted near the base below. A downy purple-green stalk 30–45 cm tall carries one variable flower 6–8 cm across; the petals bear bold purple spots, some ringed like eyes. Flowering peaks in March and April, and plants take 2–5 years to reach full size.
Distribution & habitat
Endemic to western Luzon, Philippines, at 1,150–1,600 m, growing in leaf litter, humus and moss along volcanic ridges under low forest, where mean temperatures are about 17–20 °C.
Cultivation notes
Grown by orchid enthusiasts and used to breed various hybrids.
History & etymology
Described by Reichenbach in 1873 as Cypripedium argus. Hooker (1875) called it a very close ally of P. barbatum, differing in its larger size, spotted petals and pointed upper sepal. Stein moved it to Paphiopedilum in 1892. The name recalls Argus, the many-eyed giant of Greek myth.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Philippines
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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