Paphiopedilum henryanum

Also known as: Henry's Paphiopedilum or Paphiopedilum henryanum f. chaoi Paphiopedilum henryanum var. christae Paphiopedilum henryanum h.f. alba Paphiopedilum henryanum h.f. semialbum Paphiopedilum henryanum h.f. tipo Paphiopedilum henryanum f. christae Paphiopedilum henryanum f. album Paphiopedilum chaoi Paphiopedilum tigrinum f. huberae Paphiopedilum dollii in the subfamily: Cypripedioideae

Native to: Guangxi - China

General Information

Henry's Paphiopedilum is a cool to warm growing lithophytic orchid belonging to the sub family Cypripedioideae native to China. It is named after the Irish Plant Collector in China.

Plant Description

Grows to 35cm. Each new growth has numerous leaves that grow to 1.2-17cm long

Substrate(s)

• Coarse

Care Notes

These orchids like to be watered regulary, especially during warm weather, and prefer a well draining mix or also do well mounted, provided they can be watered daily or even many times a day.

These are quite a forgiving orchid, there are no special requirements to get this orchid to flower, just good care and consistent conditions. Larger plants may be more fussy and can react poorly to change; a poorly timed repotting, a pest infection or an unusually hot day can set them back for a couple of years. However, even plants that have been treated poorly can thrive, and if they are set back they often recover much stronger then they would otherwise be.

Climate

Grows at low to high elevations. Rainfall ranges from 8mm to 328mm per day, heaviest in August and lightest in December. Temperature ranges from 8C to 29C, highest in July (22C to 29C) and lowest in December (8C to 15C).

Watering

These orchids prefer a wet-dry cycle between waterings, they should be watered frequently but only when the moisture is approaching dryness, where the pot feels light and/or the media looks dry. Keep an eye on mounted orchids in warm weather as they may dehydrate quickly.

Fertiliser

These orchids do not need to be regularly fertilised and roots may be sensitive to salt build-up, dying back and therefore impairing the plants growth or even killing it.

If fertilising, use half to quarter of the recommended amount of fertiliser. If they receive fertiliser as part of a collection, be sure to flush out the pots regularly with fresh water and monitor the roots by checking how much resistance is given by the plant when nudged in its pot or mount. If the plant becomes wobbly or loose, repot in fresh mix or rinse the media/mount thoroughly and do not fertilise for at least 3 months.

Be sure to flush out excess fertiliser by running water through the media regularly year round. Use a high Nitrogen fertiliser year round. Use a high Phosphorous fertiliser during Summer and Winter. Reduce fertiliser when plant is dormant during Spring.

Potting

Due to the growth nature of these plants they are best mounted onto cork, tree fern slabs, or even trees if the climate suits. Water regularly especially in hot weather.

This plant does well mounted. Repotting is best done annually.