The open plant encyclopedia
Snap a photo or search by any name to see how to care for it, where it comes from, whether it's safe, and a 3D model you can turn.
The plants people record most in your country, and ones that grow there wild.
Filter by what you want to do, shape, origin, country, care and safety.
Paphiopedilum rothschildianum
Also called Rothschild's Paphiopedilum
Rothschild's slipper orchid is a large lady's slipper orchid from the rainforests of Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, prized for its tall spikes of up to six big flowers. It needs warm, humid, shaded conditions with buoyant, fast-draining growing media and cool nights to thrive.
Paphiopedilum rothschildianum, commonly known as the Gold of Kinabalu orchid or Rothschild's slipper orchid, is a large, clear-leafed species of orchid. It blooms with tall inflorescence of up to six large flowers that are 5-13 inches. It is unique to the Corypetalum group for holding its petals almost horizontally, giving the flower a distinctive appearance. The peak flowering period of this plant is from April to May.
Paphiopedilum rothschildianum is found in the rainforests around Mount Kinabalu in northern Borneo, at elevations between 500 and 1200 meters above sea level. It commonly grows as a terrestrial in ultramafic soil but is also found growing as a lithophyte in leaf-litter on ultramafic cliffs, usually near a river. Paphiopedilum rothschildianum is part of a large number of orchid species endemic to the island of Borneo (more specifically, Kinabalu Park) due to the ultramafic soils which characterize the area and have led to the evolution of many other endemic plant species. Ultramafic soil occurs when high concentrations of elements such as chromium, cobalt, and nickel are found. Paphiopedilum rothschildianum is not restricted to growing in ultramafic soils, but it does seem to account for its success on the island.
Paphiopedilum adductum · Beard carrying Paphiopedilum · Paphiopedilum subg. Megastaminodium · Short haired Paphiopedilum · Double flowered Paphiopedilum · Fowlie's Paphiopedilum · Urban's Paphiopedilum · Venus' slipper
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Paphiopedilum rothschildianum 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.
