Paphiopedilum insigne

Slipper orchid

A green-leaved, cool-growing slipper orchid from the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya and neighbouring Sylhet. It grows in crevices and among grasses on open dolomitic limestone slopes and cliffs above streams at 1,000–1,600 m. It flowers from October to December after a cool autumn and is one of the easiest Paphiopedilum species to grow in a cool room.

Paphiopedilum insigne — Photo: Orchi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At home, aim for

Day Cool-growingTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Ordinary room humidityBand in Plantistry

Light Bright, filtered lightDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

Expects a seasonal restGrows on rock (lithophyte)

Where it grows wild

Crevices and pockets among grasses and shrubs on steep, open dolomitic limestone slopes and cliffs above streams, rivers and waterfalls. The roots run through humus and moss lodged in the rock, and spray and mist from the water keep the air humid.

1,000–1,600 m in the Khasi Hills. The wild records used carry no elevations.

AssamMeghalayaBangladesh (Sylhet)China (Yunnan, reported)

🔒 Growing it like that

The wild conditions above, turned into targets for a shelf, a tent or a greenhouse. The full profile has:

✓ Day and night temperature targets, and the limits it tolerates

✓ Humidity band, and how to hold it

✓ Light as DLI and PPFD for a grow light

✓ Wet and dry seasons, and whether to rest it

✓ Substrate and airflow

✓ A step-by-step setup to grow it like the wild

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Profiles are drafts built from measured range and climate and from published sources; each section carries its own confidence in the app. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, used under its CC BY-SA 3.0 licence, unmodified.