Paphiopedilum rothschildianum
Gold of Kinabalu orchid
Family OrchidaceaeAlso called Rothschild's slipper orchid
About
The Gold of Kinabalu, a large slipper orchid from Mount Kinabalu in Borneo carrying up to six big flowers with near-horizontal petals.
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 large plant with plain green leaves. A tall stalk carries up to six flowers whose long petals are held almost horizontally, unusual in its group. Peak flowering April–May.
Distribution & habitat
Rainforest around Mount Kinabalu, northern Borneo, at 500–1,200 m, mostly in ultramafic soil or leaf litter on ultramafic cliffs near rivers.
Ecology
Green, red-spotted petals mimic aphid colonies, luring parasitic flies that transfer pollen as they brush the stigma.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Malaysia
- 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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