Sukhakul's Paphiopedilum is native to Northeast Thailand. They grow at heights of 240-1000 m on Mount Phu Luang in the province of Loei. Paphiopedilum sukhakulii is semi-terrestrial orchid, grows in leafy sand-clay linens, usually along mountain streams, in the partial shade of large trees. At lower altitudes, they can be found near the Paphiopedilum callosum colony.
Paphiopedilum sukhakulii orchid, also called as Sukhakul's Paphiopedilum, Paphiopedilum sukhakulii f. aureum, is a species of the genus Paphipedilum. This species was described by Schoser & Senghas in 1965.
IDENTIFY PAPHIOPEDILUM SUKHAKULII ORCHID
Sukhakul's Paphiopedilum is native to Northeast Thailand. They grow at heights of 240-1000 m on Mount Phu Luang in the province of Loei. Paphiopedilum sukhakulii is semi-terrestrial orchid, grows in leafy sand-clay linens, usually along mountain streams, in the partial shade of large trees. At lower altitudes, they can be found near the Paphiopedilum callosum colony.
This Paphiopedilum species is a small sized, hot to warm growing, humus epiphyte with to 6, narrowly elliptic, pale and dark green mottled leaves. Leaves are narrow, lanceolate, their outer side is marble from light and dark green hues, and the inner gray-green, slightly dotted with red dots, in length leaves reach up to 25 cm, and in width 5 cm.
This orchid blooms in the late winter and spring on an erect, terminal, to 10" (25 cm) long, purple brown and white haired, single flowered inflorescence with a green, ovate floral bract that is 1/3 the length of the ovary. The flowers are up to 14 cm in diameter. The broadly oval upper sepal is white, with a pink tinge at the base, with 10-13 long and 2-6 short longitudinal green lines that terminate without reaching the edges and leaving a narrow white border . Lower sepals look like the upper, but much smaller, painted in white and purple, the lines on it are purple and green. The oval-lanceolate petals are arranged horizontally and slightly bent forward. The edges of the petals are slightly wavy, covered with hairs, more dense and long at the base. Petals are shiny, bright green with 6-8 darker longitudinal veins and brownish-red dots. The lip below yellowish-green, and closer to the opening becomes brownish or reddish-brown in color with more dark veins. The outer surface of the lip is pubescent, and the inner side is shiny, a bright wine-red hue, the front is smooth, and behind and under is densely covered with long hairs.
GROW AND CARE PAPHIOPEDILUM SUKHAKULII ORCHID
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Paphiopedilum sukhakulii does not like much light; it requires 10000-12000 lux. The photoperiod is 10-11 hours. This kind of orchid loves the bright sun without access to direct sunlight, so during the hot afternoon sun on the windows of the southern orientation and the hot evening sun on the western windows, the orchid should be placed behind the curtain (for example on a table near the window) or in the shadow of other plants, otherwise the plant can get a sunburn.
Temperature:
The plant is thermophilic. In summer the average day temperature is 30-31 ° C, night 21 ° C, which gives a daily difference of 8-9 ° C. In spring the average day temperature is 32-34 ° C, the night from 16 ° C to 21 ° C, and the daily difference is reduced from 16 ° C to 11 ° C. The average winter temperature is 27-30 ° C during the day and 9-12 ° C at night, giving a diurnal difference of 16-18 ° C.
Humidity:
For normal growth and development the plant will have 75-80% from the end of spring to autumn, decreasing to 60% at the end of winter and early spring. Too dry air adversely affects the development of the plant and its leaves become pale and begin to dry out. To increase the humidity of the air, you can use an air humidifier, saucers with water or wet claydite. For this purpose, a large pallet is used, inside of which the expanded clay is poured, the top is laid on top protecting the waterlogging of the roots, and pots with orchids are put up. The higher the column of the thermometer rises, the higher must be the humidity of the air, and the higher the humidity of the air, the more often and longer it is necessary to ventilate the room where the orchids are kept, otherwise there is a high probability of decay and appearance on the leaves of various fungal diseases.
Substrate and growing media:
Paphiopedilum sukhakulii is grown only in pots. As a substrate, the medium-sized bark mixed with perlite and shredded lava stone. Avoid any contact of its roots with the sphagnum, because it can not stand substrates tending to acid.
It is necessary to prevent the accumulation of mineral salts in the pot, i.e. to regularly rinse the substrate.
Watering:
Paphiopedilum sukhakulii frequently gets watering from February to December. The moment of watering arrives when the substrate has dried very well but has not yet become completely dry. In December and January, on the other hand, between waterings, the plant remains 1-2 days (but no more) in the completely dry substrate. This technique, together with the slightly lower temperatures compared to the summer ones, induces flowering. If the floral stem has appeared during the winter months, the watering is not reduced, because otherwise there is a risk that the flower will dry out.
Fertilizer:
This plant needs to feed once in a week or two weeks 1/10-1/4 of the recommended dose of fertilizer for orchids. During the period of active growth, a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content should be introduced, and from mid-summer to a fertilizer with high phosphorus content, which promotes better flowering and strengthens young growths before the onset of winter.
Rest period and repotting:
Sukhakul's Paphiopedilum requiring a slightly colder winter resting period. In winter, cultivated plants need less water. Let the plants dry before the next watering, but do not allow the condition when the plants remain dry for a long time. Fertilization should be reduced or completely eliminated until more intense watering starts in the spring.
From frequent irrigation and fertilizer, the substrate decays quickly enough and loses its main useful property for orchids - air permeability, therefore it is recommended to repot Paphiopedilum sukhakulii annually. Repotting should be carried out immediately after flowering.
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