Paphiopedilum micranthum var. eburneum

Paphiopedilum micranthum is a dwarf lady's slipper orchid native to the southwestern part of Guangxi Province, the southern and southwestern parts of Guizhou Province, and the southeastern part of Yunnan Province in China.

It grows in shady, detritus-filled crevices in steep, moss-covered limestone walls in evergreen, open subtropical forests. Rarely, it also grows as an epiphyte on moss-covered trunks of old trees near the ground in cloud forests at elevations ranging from 600 to 1,700 meters. It is one of the smaller Paphiopedilum species. The plant reaches a leaf span of about 10 to 15 cm. The leaves are patterned in light and dark green, with a purple underside (shade-loving plant!). In the wild, they lie flat on the ground and are not held upright as with other lady’s slipper orchids.

The highlight, of course, is the flowers. They are about 6 to 8 cm in size, pink and yellow to creamy white, with large, rounded, striped petals and an extremely large, puffed-up lip. The flower is huge compared to the plant!

It grows easily on a windowsill, but in a terrarium it can also be cared for on a “cliff face” (i.e., attached to the background), just as it is in nature. However, it needs a cooler, slightly drier dormant period in winter to bloom.

You’ll receive a young plant in a 6-cm pot. Flowering size in approx. 12 months.