Paphiopedilum hangianum
Hang's Paphiopedilum
Family Orchidaceae
About
A slipper orchid of limestone mountains in northern Vietnam and south-central China, with the largest flowers in the genus. It is threatened by over-collection and listed in CITES Appendix I.
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
- Moderate shade.
- 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
- Grows in thin calcareous soil in the wild; a limestone-amended mix suits it.
- 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 seven leathery, strap-shaped leaves 12–30 cm long, glossy green above. In spring an upright stalk 6–12 cm tall bears usually one lightly scented pale yellow to yellow-green flower 9–12 cm wide.
Distribution & habitat
South-central China and northern Vietnam at 450–750 m, in closed evergreen forest on steep, eroded limestone slopes, in thin calcareous soil under moderate shade.
History & etymology
Described by Holger Perner and Olaf Gruss from plants received in 1999, named after the Vietnamese grower Tong Ngoc Hang who sent them.
Conservation
Threatened by over-collection and habitat loss; listed in CITES Appendix I, which bans international commercial trade in wild plants.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Vietnam, China
- 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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