Paphiopedilum victoria-regina

Also known as: The Queen Victoria Paphiopedilum or Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.v. eloktianum Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.f. primulinum h.f. flavescens Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.f. primulinum h.f. flavum Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.f. album Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.v. Sumatra Cypripedium chamberlainianum Paphiopedilum victoria-regina h.v. primulinm Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.v. chamberlai Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum ssp. chamberlainianum Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.v. moquettianum Paphiopedilum victoria-regina ssp. chamberlainianum Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.v. chamberlainianum Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum var. latifolium Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum Paphiopedilum victoria-regina var. latifolium Paphiopedilum victoria-regina h.v. primulinum Paphiopedilum victoria-regina var. kalinae Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum h.v. liemiana Paphiopedilum kalinae Cordula chamberlainiana Paphiopedilum chamberlainianum ssp. liemiana in the subfamily: Cypripedioideae

General Information

The Queen Victoria Paphiopedilum is a medium sized warm to hot growing lithophytic or terrestrial orchid belonging to the sub family Cypripedioideae.

Plant Description

Grows to 80cm. Each new growth has numerous arching elliptic, oblong shaped leaves that grow to 5-40cm 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 152mm to 518mm per day, heaviest in May and lightest in March. Humidity ranges from 81% to 85%, highest in May and lowest in January. Temperature ranges from 16C to 24C, highest in November (17C to 24C) and lowest in January (16C to 23C).

Watering

These orchids prefer a constant supply of moisture, with a slight drying out between waterings. Saucers can be placed under pots to retain moisture during hot weather, however the saucers should be removed or let to dry every 1-2 weeks to prevent rot. Keep an eye on the plant especially in hot weather and look for cues of under/overwatering and adjust accordingly.

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 year round.

Potting

These plants can be sensitive to repotting though should not require repotting regularly. Repotting should be done when the mix has broken down to the point that it doesn't absorb water or holds onto water for far too long, usually the plant shows a decline in growth as well.

The mix should be free draining, with a blend of 30% inorganic ingredients such as coarse sand, gravel or perlite, mixed in with about 70% organic ingredients such as peat, leaf litter or decomposed bark. Avoid commercial potting mixes as they can vary wildly and may contain "wetting agents" that can hold onto water for loo long, causing rotting and stunted growth.

Repotting is best done annually.