Ludisia discolor (Black Jewel orchid) in bloom

[Chemtiger]

I've been inspired by this post to take the plunge and buy a very small Ludisia discolor. I planted it in a bulb bowl that is 6 inches in diameter with a 1:1 mixture of the small sized Orchiata bark mixed with the Miracle-Gro "Orchid Mix" (the variety in a green bag; it's mostly peat moss and perlite) to try to make a nice medium that would work well for it, given its terrestrial nature. I placed the pseudobulbs with the strange, almost Velcro-like roots down into the medium, and the rhizome is almost flat in the middle of the bulb bowl, with just a little bit of the peat/bark mixture covering it. I left the pseudobulbs out on top of the mixture, because they're quite pendant, almost to the point of being floppy! I don't expect that I'll get any blooms this year, but I made sure to keep the ends of the pseudobulbs pointed upwards, and mine seemed to shed most of the foliage from the pseudobulbs, except at the ones where they were at the end of that particular growth, and there would be a cluster of healthy, beautifully colored leaves. I just pulled the dead leaves off, and I inadvertently pulled a piece of one of the pseudobulbs off, leaving about a 4 inch long space where it didn't connect to the rhizome, nor did it connect to any other part of the plant, and I wasn't sure what to do. I read that the roots that are on the bottom portion (the "Velcro" roots I referred to) are what keep the plants rooted to wherever they happen to grow in the wild, and it took only a few weeks in my humid greenhouse (I have a greenhouse in my spare bedroom that I set up for my orchids that live outside for most of the year; I live in New Orleans, so almost any orchid can live here for 8+ months outside, and I'm guessing this new one will as well) for the Velcro roots to take hold and grow into the medium, and I nhave the whole plant in a low-light area, but the leaves are all pointed skyward, they're really pretty. I think I'm going to keep trying to bring any new growths that may try to leave the bulb pan back into it to try to make a nice, full, thick layer of foliage, and then during the holiday season, bring her out to be the centerpiece for the dinner table, in a nicer container, of course.

Thank you for sharing your photos over the years, maybe I'll learn to be patient via your posts!

[VERN-O]

Chemtiger....I too recently jumped into the jewel pool.
I have Anoectochilus albolineatus and Goodyera pusilla in two separate terrariums. I'm in love with their foliage and can't wait to see how they evolve. Good luck with your jewels and keep us posted....cheers

[Arizona Jeanie]

Chemtiger--
I didn't know Ludisia had pseudobulbs. Can you post a picture? Mine seems to grow from stolons, much like bermuda grass but much prettier!

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Chemtiger

I've been inspired by this post to take the plunge and buy a very small Ludisia discolor. I planted it in a bulb bowl that is 6 inches in diameter with a 1:1 mixture of the small sized Orchiata bark mixed with the Miracle-Gro "Orchid Mix" (the variety in a green bag; it's mostly peat moss and perlite) to try to make a nice medium that would work well for it, given its terrestrial nature. I placed the pseudobulbs with the strange, almost Velcro-like roots down into the medium, and the rhizome is almost flat in the middle of the bulb bowl, with just a little bit of the peat/bark mixture covering it. I left the pseudobulbs out on top of the mixture, because they're quite pendant, almost to the point of being floppy! I don't expect that I'll get any blooms this year, but I made sure to keep the ends of the pseudobulbs pointed upwards, and mine seemed to shed most of the foliage from the pseudobulbs, except at the ones where they were at the end of that particular growth, and there would be a cluster of healthy, beautifully colored leaves. I just pulled the dead leaves off, and I inadvertently pulled a piece of one of the pseudobulbs off, leaving about a 4 inch long space where it didn't connect to the rhizome, nor did it connect to any other part of the plant, and I wasn't sure what to do. I read that the roots that are on the bottom portion (the "Velcro" roots I referred to) are what keep the plants rooted to wherever they happen to grow in the wild, and it took only a few weeks in my humid greenhouse (I have a greenhouse in my spare bedroom that I set up for my orchids that live outside for most of the year; I live in New Orleans, so almost any orchid can live here for 8+ months outside, and I'm guessing this new one will as well) for the Velcro roots to take hold and grow into the medium, and I nhave the whole plant in a low-light area, but the leaves are all pointed skyward, they're really pretty. I think I'm going to keep trying to bring any new growths that may try to leave the bulb pan back into it to try to make a nice, full, thick layer of foliage, and then during the holiday season, bring her out to be the centerpiece for the dinner table, in a nicer container, of course.

Thank you for sharing your photos over the years, maybe I'll learn to be patient via your posts!

Thank you for your interest in my posting.
Ludisia is a genus of orchids that contains just one species, Ludisia discolor, commonly referred to as jewel orchid. There are some hybrids that I have seen being sold. Native to southern China, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Burma, and often cultivated. They are terrestrial orchids that in their natural setting would be found growing on the forest floor. They are known for their foliage, which is often velvety deep maroon with red veins that run parallel to the center of the leaf.
Flowers are white with twisting yellow columns. Individual flowers are small but grow in clusters on upright stalks (not pseudo bulbs) and I cut stalks and just stick it in the medium and it grows. Flowers in cultivation last a month or more.
They need high humidity (which is very good in your area) and warm temperatures with low to medium light, and they tolerate extremely low light levels.