Jewel Orchid
An orchid grown for its leaves: dark burgundy velvet lined with gold or pink veins, on a low creeping plant. Unlike most orchids it wants shade, potting soil and steady moisture, and it is pet-safe and easy.
The jewel orchid is the orchid for people who cannot keep orchids. It grows on the forest floor, not in trees, so it wants shade and ordinary moist soil rather than bark and bright light. The flowers are small white spikes in winter; the leaves are the point, dark velvet with glowing veins.
Ludisia discolor is the common one. Macodes petola, the lightning jewel orchid, is a rarer relative with the same care and even more dramatic veins.
Light
Medium to low indirect light. A north window or a shaded spot. It is one of the few plants that genuinely wants shade; bright light fades the burgundy and direct sun burns the velvet.
Water
Lightly moist, watered when the top inch is dry, every five days or so in summer and every eight in winter. Filtered water. It rots if soggy and crisps if dry.
Soil and potting
A light, moisture-holding potting mix with perlite, not orchid bark. It creeps along the surface; a wide, shallow pot suits it. Repot every couple of years.
Feeding
A quarter-strength balanced feed every six weeks in spring and summer.
Propagation
Stem cuttings root in damp sphagnum or water easily. Break a stem at a node and lay it on damp moss.
In a hot, dry home
It wants fifty percent humidity, which means a bathroom, a terrarium or a cloche here. Under glass it is nearly effortless; on an open shelf the leaf edges crisp in summer.
Problems and fixes
Faded, greenish leaves
Likely cause: Too much light
Fix: Move to a shadier spot.
Crispy leaf edges
Likely cause: Low humidity
Fix: Raise humidity; a cloche or terrarium works well.
Stems rotting at the base
Likely cause: Soggy soil
Fix: Let it dry more; re-root healthy stem tips.
Jewel Orchid questions
Is the jewel orchid safe for cats and dogs?
Yes. Orchids are non-toxic to pets.
Does a jewel orchid need bright light like other orchids?
No. It is a forest-floor plant and wants shade. Bright light fades its colour and direct sun burns it.
What soil does a jewel orchid need?
Ordinary moist potting mix with perlite, not orchid bark. It grows in soil, unlike the tree-dwelling orchids.
