Paphiopedilum tonsum

A mottled-leaved slipper orchid of section Barbata from the mountains of northern Sumatra, growing in humus on the floor of wet montane forest. The two measured sites sit around 1,400–1,600 m in a climate that is cool, constantly humid and wet all year, so it wants intermediate temperatures, shade and even moisture with no dry rest.

At home, aim for

Day IntermediateTargets in Plantistry

Night Close to the dayTargets in Plantistry

Humidity Humid airBand in Plantistry

Light ShadeDLI and PPFD in Plantistry

No rest periodGrows in the ground

Where it grows wild

Terrestrial in leaf litter and humus under montane rainforest in northern Sumatra, as is typical for its section; species-specific habitat notes are thin.

The two measured sites lie at about 1,440 and 1,580 m.

Sumatera

🔒 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.