Paphiopedilum barbigerum
Beard carrying Paphiopedilum
Family Orchidaceae
About
A slipper orchid of southern China, northern Vietnam and Thailand, named for the tuft of hairs at the base of its petals. It is endangered by habitat loss and collecting.
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 narrow, plain green leaves 8–20 cm long. A light green stalk up to 16 cm carries one flower up to 6.5 cm wide, with a white dorsal sepal, pale green synsepal, brownish pale-edged petals and a yellow staminode. Flowers October to December.
Distribution & habitat
Upper Xi River basin in Guizhou, Yunnan and Guangxi (China) and northern Vietnam, at 300–1,200 m on limestone; a Thai variety was described in 2022.
Ecology
Pollinated by hoverflies, notably Allograpta javana and Episyrphus balteatus. Grows in soil, on rock or on tree trunks.
History & etymology
Described by Tang and Wang in 1940 from Guizhou material; the name comes from Latin barba, beard.
Conservation
Endangered through habitat destruction and over-collection for the horticultural trade.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- China, Vietnam, Thailand
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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