Ludisia discolor
Object Details
- Description
- Ludisia discolor is one of many orchids called "Jewel orchid," because it is grown for its beautiful leaves rather than its flowers. Commonly grown for terrariums, L. discolor defies the stereotype of finicky, difficult to grow orchids. If you wish to grow more of this orchid, simply take a piece of the pseudobulb, stick it in dirt or a glass of water, and wait for roots to appear in a few weeks.
- Bloom Time (Northern Hemisphere)
- Year round; peaks in December through March
- Medicinal / Pharmaceutical
- Was used in Hong Kong for medicinal purposes.
- Pollination Syndrome
- Butterfly (Pieris rapae, Pleisconeura asmara), reward
- Provenance
- From a cultivated plant not of known wild origin
- Data Source
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Accession Number
- 2011-2422D
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Life Form
- Terrestrial
- Bloom Characteristics
- Inflorescence is 4-12" (10-30 cm) long with 10-25 densly blooming white flowers that last 2-3 weeks. The column and lip of the flower are twisted in opposite directions. Flowers are .75" (1.7 cm) across.
- Foliage Characteristics
- Dark green, 2-3" (5-7.6 cm) long leaves with criss crossing lines that run the length of the leaf and some speckling.
- Fragrance
- Fragrant
- Plant Size
- 10-18" x 6-10" (25-46 x 15-25 cm)
- Range
- S China to Sumatera and Philippines
- Habitat
- Humid, shady, lowland forests near rivers; 230-3600ft (70-1100m)
- See more items in
- Smithsonian Gardens Orchid Collection
- Common Name
- Jewel Orchid
- Twisty-Flowered Orchid
- Variegated Orchid
- Rock Lotus Root
- Rock Silk Worm
- Group
- [vascular plants]
- Class
- Equisetopsida
- Subclass
- Magnoliidae
- Superorder
- Lilianae
- Order
- Asparagales
- Family
- Orchidaceae
- Subfamily
- Orchidoideae
- Genus
- Ludisia
- Species
- discolor
- Topic
- Orchids
- Living Collections
- Record ID
- ofeo-sg_2011-2422D
