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Paphiopedilum micranthum
Also called Tiny Flowered Paphiopedilum
Silver slipper orchid is a small lithophytic slipper orchid from limestone cliffs in southern China and northern Vietnam, grown for its single flowers and silvery-marked leaves. It needs bright light, good drainage and cool, humid conditions, with a winter rest in drier air.
Paphiopedilum micranthum, described in 1951, is commonly known as the silver slipper orchid or hard-leaved pocket orchid. It blooms during late winter to early summer with one flower per inflorescence. As opposed to its close sibling Paph. malipoense, the flowers of Paph. micranthum have no fragrance.
Paphiopedilum micranthum is found from northern Vietnam to western and northern Guangxi, southeastern Yunnan and western Guizhou (China), at elevations of 460 to 1600 meters. The plant is found on cliffs and in crevices which contain leaf litter, limestone, and clay. The area is subjected to fog in the winter and heavy rain from late spring to summer.
Pointed Tooth Paphiopedilum · Paphiopedilum adductum · Appleton's Paphiopedilum · Argus Paphiopedilum · Golden slipper orchid · Bearded Paphiopedilum · Beard carrying Paphiopedilum · Egg-in-a-nest orchid · Bougainville Paphiopedilum · Bullen's Paphiopedilum · Callus Paphiopedilum · Paphiopedilum subg. Megastaminodium
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Paphiopedilum micranthum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
