About
A small, white-flowered slipper orchid from limestone cliffs of peninsular Thailand and Malaysia, best known from Langkawi. Easy to grow and widely hybridised.
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
- Mature size
- About 10 cm across.
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
A small plant about 10 cm across, bearing flowers 5–6 cm wide from December to August, peaking in April and May.
Distribution & habitat
Peninsular Thailand to peninsular Malaysia, notably the Langkawi islands, in cracks of limestone cliffs just above sea level.
Cultivation notes
Easy to grow; it and the Thai variety Ang Thong have been used extensively in hybrids.
Conservation
Over-collection on Langkawi has made it scarce.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Thailand, Malaysia
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
- 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.
Crossed P. niveum with another species?Register the cross. If it's not documented yet you'll be the first contributor; if someone already registered it, you'll be taken there to add your photo.