PAPHIOPEDILUM ORCHIDS

Pronounced PAFF-ee-oh PED-e-lum and means 'Paphos slipper'. Paphos in Cyprus has a temple to Aphrodite, the epitome of woman, and a goddess worshipped by the Greeks. Slipper refers to the shape of the lower petal of the flower. Commonly called Lady's Slipper orchid.

The orchid has one or two flowers per stem, shaped like helmets with moustaches below, (or indeed slippers), they come in white, yellow, green, brown,maroon and tan and are often spotted or striped and available all year round. Originally from Thailand, Burma and Vietnam, many varieties are now bred in the USA, the UK and Australia.

Over 20,000 hybrid forms of Paphiopedilum have been registered.

They last for well over a month, but because of their hairy stems should not be placed in too deep water. They like cool air and regular misting, and are sensitive to ethylene gas so keep them away from fruit, vegetables and dying flowers. Snip off old flower heads.

Related Flowers : Rudbeckas Flowers Spider Flowers Scabious Flowers Sunflowers Flowers Sedium Flowers Sweet Williams Flowers Stocks or Matthiola Flowers Tulips Flowers Strelitzias or Birds of Paradise Flowers Violets Flowers