Paphiopedilum exul
Excluded Paphiopedilum
Family Orchidaceae
About
A slipper orchid known only from the limestone islands of Krabi in peninsular Thailand, with greenish-yellow flowers.
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
Terrestrial or rock-dwelling herb with 4–5 bright yellow-green leaves 15–35 cm long. A green stalk 13–18 cm tall carries one flower 5–7 cm wide. Flowers mainly April–May.
Distribution & habitat
Endemic to limestone islands of the Krabi region, southern Thailand, from sea level to 50 m, where average temperatures are 26–28 °C.
Cultivation notes
Used in a number of cultivated hybrids.
History & etymology
First described by H. N. Ridley in 1891 as a variety of P. insigne; the name comes from Latin for exile.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Thailand
- IUCN status
- Critically endangered
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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