Lady's slipper orchid, Venus shoe, Paphiopedilum

One of the most popular orchid species on the local window sills is the lady's slipper orchid, also known here as the Venusian shoe. Due to its origin in Thailand, the Philippines or Borneo and Sumatra, it is used to subtropical climates and is therefore very sensitive to cold. Cultivation in the bucket is therefore essential. The care of the lady's slipper orchid is a bit time-consuming, but if it is given the right one, it will thank you with many beautiful flowers and a long life.

care

There are several different types of lady's slipper orchid, which also differ slightly in terms of care. Therefore, when buying, you should pay attention to whether the leaves of the desired plant are solid green or spotted. According to this, it is especially correct which location is chosen and how the temperature should be chosen over the year. However, in terms of watering, fertilizing and further care, the species do not differ.

floor

All orchids require a special substrate in which to thrive. Here the ideal pH value should be between 5 and 6.5. A special orchid substrate from the well-stocked gardening trade offers the plants everything they need. In addition, this is already permeable enough so that no waterlogging can occur. This commercially available substrate can also be mixed as it mainly contains:

• Coconut fiber
• bark
• wood
• bast
• moss
• small styrofoam balls
• for better water permeability
• and ventilation
• Charcoal for disinfection

Fertilize

Paphiopedilum needs a lot of nutrients throughout the year, so you need to fertilize regularly too. Since the plant blooms over the winter, it needs less fertilizer during this time than in the vegetation phase over the summer so that it can develop as many buds as possible. It is therefore ideal to fertilize as follows:

• Use liquid fertilizer for orchids
• can be given during a dive
• every two weeks in summer
• every four to six weeks in winter

In order to achieve a more beautiful flower, some, especially the white flowering Paphiopedilum, can also be supplied with hard lime or crushed mussels. However, caution is advised here, because the pH value of the soil can become higher, so that the Venus shoe no longer feels comfortable. Therefore only very small amounts have to be used here. The calcareous water used does not have this effect of the more beautiful flowers and should therefore not be used.

to water

In the local latitudes you have to supply the Venus shoe with the moisture it needs, which it also takes from the air at home, via the roots. Nevertheless, the plant does not tolerate waterlogging and can quickly develop root rot if the soil is too wet. It is therefore also important that the irrigation water can always drain off well. In order to water the orchid perfectly, the following must be observed:

• Always keep the orchid substrate moist
• never let it dry out completely
• do not pour onto soil from above
• no water should get onto the leaf axils
• it is better to dip briefly in water
• so you can give the water evenly to the roots
• no water on the collecting plate
• only use lime-free water
• captured rainwater is ideal
• alternatively filtered tap water

Poisonous

Like all orchids of the Paphiopedilum, the lady's slipper orchids are unfortunately poisonous. It is therefore advisable to always wear gloves when working with the decorative plants, otherwise skin irritation could arise. If there are small children or pets in the household, you should refrain from cultivation. If you don't want this, you have to place the graceful orchids in such a way that neither curious little children nor nibbling birds or cats can get to the plants.

Diseases

Paphiopedilum likes to suffer from root rot, which is caused by waterlogging and thus by a care error. Fungal infestation is also favored by too much moisture, especially if the lady's slipper orchid is sprayed onto the leaf axils from above with water. If the ground is too firm, these diseases can also occur. You can proceed as follows:

• Immediately remove the orchid from the planter
• remove all substrate from the roots
• cut off damaged roots
• Let dry well
• then put in new, fresh substrate
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect the vessel
• possibly treat the plant with fungicides

In the first time after the rescue, which unfortunately is not always successful, the earth is only sprayed with water from above. Only when the orchid has fully recovered can it be immersed again, after which the water should always be able to drain off well.

humidity

Paphiopedilum needs high humidity. However, spraying the graceful plants is not recommended, as they could be very sensitive to water on their leaf axils. It is therefore helpful to set up a humidifier in the immediate vicinity of the lady's slipper so that the desired humidity is given.

plants

If a lady's slipper orchid has been purchased in stores, it is usually delivered in plastic pots, in which waterlogging can quickly develop. To avoid this, the plant should be planted soon after purchase. In this way, the orchid also receives the permeable substrate it needs. The process of planting is as follows:

• Apply drainage
• then there is no waterlogging on the floor
• to do this, pottery shards or gravel over the drainage hole
• plant fleece over this
• Fill in half of the substrate
• Take the orchid out of the pot
• remove old substrate
• Put in the bucket, add the rest of the substrate
• Immerse the entire plant in water
• drain well

Pests

The only known pests that attack the lady's slipper orchid are actually only scale insects. These settle on the weakened plants, which in turn is due to a care error. If the pests are therefore recognized, they should first be removed with a soft cloth. The use of insecticides is also helpful here. The location, temperature, humidity, watering and fertilization should also be checked immediately and changed if necessary. Otherwise, a weakened Paphiopedilum will always be attacked by scale insects.

Cut

The Venus shoe doesn't need a cut at all. Bacteria and fungi could penetrate through possible interfaces and cause massive damage to the plant. You don't have to remove withered leaves or flowers either. These can be left until they fall off by themselves or can be easily plucked.

Location

Depending on the species, you have to choose the location for the Venus shoe. A distinction must be made between the species with spotted leaves and those with monochrome green leaves. However, it is the same with all lady's slipper orchids that they are not suitable for outdoor use, as they cannot tolerate the cold and have to move to a suitable place in winter. In the bucket, however, the orchids can move outdoors to a protected location in summer. So you should choose the ideal location like this:

• Plant with spotted leaves
• partially shaded location
• east or west windows are ideal
• without direct sun at noon
• Plant with solid green leaves
• shady location
• a north window is ideal
• for both applies: no drafts
• sheltered on the terrace or balcony in summer
• Winter garden with temperature all year round

In addition, care should be taken with all orchids that they are not directly above or in winter stand next to a heater, as the temperatures here could be too high and the air too dry.

temperature

At the desired temperatures, as with the chosen location, the different orchids of the lady's slippery species must be subdivided. This time it is divided into three groups. On the one hand the group with the spotted leaves, as well as the group with the narrow single-colored green leaves and finally the group with the wide, single-colored green leaves. The ideal ambient temperatures for the individual groups are as follows:

• spotted leaves
• in summer between 20 ° and 25 ° Celsius
• in winter 17 ° to 22 ° Celsius
• narrow solid green leaves
• during the day all year round 20 ° to 23 ° Celsius
• at night in summer at 17 ° to 19 ° Celsius
• at night in winter not below 14 ° to 16 ° Celsius
• broad, monochrome green leaves
• in summer between 20 ° and 25 ° Celsius
• in winter 16 ° to 20 ° Celsius

Nevertheless, it is advisable to specifically inquire about the temperature requirements when buying the respective type of lady's slipper, as the list should only be a rough guide.

Overwinter

The lady's slipper is not hardy and very sensitive to frost. Therefore, you cannot plant it outdoors in the local latitudes. Under the point "Temperatures" it is described which orchid species needs the different temperatures in winter. A certain hibernation does not have to be observed here, and the plants also show their decorative flowers in winter. So only the narrow-leaved, single-colored green orchids are affected by a winter dormancy with significantly lower temperatures.

Repot

The lady's slipper orchid needs fresh substrate on a regular basis so that it always remains permeable and loose. The plant likes it tight, but when the roots start to grow out of the drain hole, repotting is necessary. Also, when the substrate starts to rot or the leaves growing straight from the base take up the entire surface of the tub, it's time. The best time to do this is in spring, right after flowering. When repotting, proceed as described under “Planting” and place Paphiopedilum in fresh substrate and a larger container.

Multiply

You can also propagate Paphiopedilum directly during repotting. The propagation of the lady's slipper orchid works very simply by dividing the roots. To do this, the rhizomes, which have at least six eyes, are separated from the plant. When propagating the Venus Schuh-Orchid, the following should also be observed:

• always use a sharp and disinfected knife
• otherwise bacteria or fungi will invade
• this happens directly during the cutting process
• the plant and the offshoots could be damaged
• each section should have two leaves
• Place individual pieces in orchid substrate
• put drainage in each pot

For the first time, just spray the soil of the new orchids with a little water. Only when they have formed new roots do you submerge the plant as a whole. When spraying, make sure that the plant does not come into contact with the water.