Paphiopedilum niveum STEIN
Section: Concolaria
Paph. niveum occurs on various islands of the Langkawii Islands, but can also be found on mainland Malaysia.
Individual plants grow just above sea level and are regularly moistened by salt water or spray. These plants cling to the bare rock with their roots - so they're not particularly tall.
Plants grow much better on the upper part of the islands. Here they grow partially in pure loam.
Paper niveum must be cultivated in a warm house. In their natural habitat, they go through a rest period of several months with almost no rain. This is important to keep in mind when it comes to culture.
Paph. niveum f. album
In 1985 I had the opportunity to explore the site of Paph. niveum on a small island in the Langkawii Islands (Malysia). Paph. niveum grows in crevices but also in pure clay.
Here is a laboratory analysis of soil samples that we brought with us:
Data in mg / liter
N 182 - P 28 - K 161 - Ca 3255 - Mg 301 - Na 42Mit welchem Dünger soll man bloß diese Pflanzen ernähren - ggfs. ist das ein Grund, warum Paph. niveum nicht wirklich gut wächst.
A few years ago, Mr. Otto Möller had his own fertilizer solution for his Paph. niveum mixed (among other things with this high proportion of Na) - the leaves had a leaf span of 40 cm and the flower stalks were also 40 cm high...
more pictures:
Abschließend noch ein Vergleich mit einer neueren kleineren Art - Paph. thaianum (links im Bild)
